


The Nightingale Effect

by TrickHope



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Consensual, Dirty Thoughts, Draco Malfoy Has Issues, Draco Malfoy is a Tease, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Healer Hermione Granger, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Light Dom/sub, Minor reference to PTSD, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Oral Sex, POV Draco Malfoy, POV Hermione Granger, Past Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Pining Draco Malfoy, Praise Kink, Shameless Smut, Slow Build, Some Plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-01
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:00:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 45,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27333814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrickHope/pseuds/TrickHope
Summary: Eighth years return to Hogwarts and come to terms with the end of the war in their own ways.When Hermione starts healer training with Madam Pomfrey, she doesn't expect to spend so much time healing a bruised and beaten Malfoy, who knows exactly how to push her buttons. But he's with Pansy, and he was her schoolyard bully. She can't be attracted to him, can she?Malfoy is starting to find that there is a silver lining to getting the crap kicked out of him by angry students, and that is spending time with Granger. She's not the swotty know it all he thought she was. She is witty and fearless and really quite hot. But she's with Weasley and she would never look at him as anything but a patient to be healed, would she?
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Comments: 215
Kudos: 550





	1. Return to Hogwarts

Returning for eighth year was surreal. Last time Hermione had been here she had feared for her life, feared Harry was dead, lost friends in the final battle. But here Hogwarts stood, just like it always had. Impossible to tell that one of the most important battles of the wizarding world had taken place within these walls, just a few months ago. Everyone seemed to be coming to terms with the return in their own way, and Hermione had seen more than one person shed a tear when entering the Great Hall for the welcome back feast last night. 

This morning after timetables had been distributed for the first to seventh years, Professor McGonagall had asked all the eighth years gather in her classroom for a talk about their options. Several students, including Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville, had automatically been awarded ‘Outstanding’ In their Defence against the Dark Arts NEWTs thanks to their actions in the Battle of Hogwarts. Two Hufflepuff boys had been awarded NEWTs in Care of Magical Creatures for showing their skills attending to various magical creatures who were injured or displaced due to the battle. McGonagall was keen to avoid distressing any students who didn’t feel able to take on a full timetable after the stresses of the last few months, so everyone was to have a one to one chat with the headmistress before their timetables were decided.

Hermione hoped she could get one of the first slots, she didn’t want to waste the first day back waiting around for a quick chat when she could be in the library. She wanted to get as many NEWTs as possible, then it didn’t matter that she couldn’t decide on a career, lots of doors would be open to her.

‘…Right ‘Mione?’ Ron looked at the witch expectantly.

‘er… what are we talking about?’ she looked from Harry to Ron, wondering what they had been discussing as she pondered her future.

‘I was saying Harry and I will have extra time for quidditch practice now we don’t need DADA, maybe help with trying to get on a professional team next year…’ Ron and Ginny had both spent the summer arguing over the merits of different teams that seemed likely to be scouting for new young players in the coming months. Both were determined their futures lay in sport rather than academia.

Hermione sighed, ‘Harry might want to spend the time studying Ronald, Aurors need the highest marks across all their NEWTs’ She arched her brow as she looked at her bespectacled best friend for conformation.

‘Well, I –‘

‘Mr. Potter!’ Harry’s response was cut short by a summons from McGonagall. As he headed to her desk Ron was looking about the room.

Most students had sat near people from their own houses, in the four corners of the room. So much for the inter-house unity the sorting hat had sang about last night Hermione thought sullenly.

‘Slytherins might actually be developing some sense’ Ron gestured to the opposite corner of the room with a grim smile. ‘Even his own house seems to be shunning the death eater scum’.

Hermione surveyed the group. Ron was right, most of the Slytherins had their backs turned to Malfoy, as if they wanted to distance themselves from him as much as possible. The only exception was Pansy, who had her head bent close to his, as if whispering to him. At that moment Malfoy looked up and his eyes met Hermione’s. She didn’t know what she expected to see in his eyes, repose, shame even? But instead he smirked at her, as if he knew exactly what Ron was saying and found it rather amusing. He must still be dating Parkinson, maybe having a girlfriend supporting him made his father’s lifetime sentence in Azkaban easier to bear? Perhaps he didn’t actually care that much about Lucius anyway? Perhaps his general arrogance and sense of entitlement meant he was undaunted by the rejection of his peers? Hermione realised she had been staring at him as she considered his life and he hadn’t broken eye contact with her. She blushed and turned back to Ron, who seemed to have missed her moment with Malfoy while giving dirty looks to Pansy.

‘You know Harry spoke up for him and his mother at their trials. Let’s not argue about this again, he and his mother were found innocent, he has a right to be here. We don’t have to like him, but let’s not waste our time on thinking about him at all, in fact, why don’t we think about extra-curricular activities we could be involved in this year instead’

All summer she and Ron had argued about Slytherins. Hermione adamant that they deserved to come back, and that the only way for the wizarding world to heal was to bring everyone together, instead of dividing them. Her argument of ‘Look at what happened to Germany after WWI, they felt totally ostracised and it led to WWII!’ had carried no weight at all with Ron, as he had never studied muggle history and had only a faint knowledge of the world wars. It really was a travesty in the wizarding education system to only study the past in relation to magical beings.

‘ _Extra-curricular_ eh?’ Ron waggled his eyebrows in an exaggeratedly suggestive manner. Hermione giggled and whacked him on the arm. Their romantic involvement had peaked in the week following the battle before they both realised they felt more of a platonic love for each other when they weren’t caught up in a potential apocalypse.

Still laughing she looked up from Ron and once again caught Malfoy’s eye across the room. This time he looked as if he was trying to puzzle her out, but then Pansy touched his cheek and his attention returned to her.

Before she could consider the blond wizard more, Harry had re-joined them ‘took longer than expected, McGonagall wanted to offer me a bit of a job’ he looked shy but proud at the same time as he explained that the new DADA teacher was only available part time, and that the headmistress has asked him to teach the basics to first and second years. ‘Apparently my work with Dumbledore’s Army shows that I can do it, and, erm, she thinks it will be good for student morale to have the person that defeated Voldemort teaching DADA’ Harry blushed as he said this.

‘Mate that’s ace, well done!’ Ron slapped him on the back.

Hermione pulled him into a hug and immediately offered to help he develop lesson plans and schemes of work.

Much to Hermione’s annoyance, she was one of the last to talk to the headmistress, Ron and Harry had gone off for a fly around the quidditch pitch, Neville was the only Gryffindor still waiting and he had his head buried in a book on magical cacti so she had pulled out some parchment and begun to draft a revision timetable when she was finally called to the front.

‘Well, Miss Granger, as the brightest witch of your age, I am sure you have some ideas about what you want to do this year…’ McGonagall smiled good naturedly as Hermione outlined her hopes to take every NEWT available aside from Divination given that she didn’t know what career path to choose.

‘There is another possibility, with your intellect and knowledge, you might find some independent research benefits you more’ Minerva paused to gauge Hermione’s reaction. Hermione gestured for her to go on, eyes sparkling with interest.

‘Without thinking about a particular career, what do you want to achieve Hermione? You could do anything you set your mind to, so I realise it’s a lot of possibilities to consider, but what do you think might bring you joy?’

Without thinking she answered immediately ‘I want to help people, I don’t think I want to fight bad guys or work for the DMLE but I do want to make a difference to people’s lives.’ She had surprised herself with the answer, but McGonagall looked as if this entirely fit with her expectations.

‘Have you considered healer training? A healer needs to know how to cure all kinds of magical injuries, but there are speciality pathways too, you could for example go on to focus on breaking curses, creating new medicines, restoring damaged minds…’ As McGonagall spoke Hermione suddenly saw a world of exciting possibilities open up before her eyes. ‘…restoring your parents’ memories after such an expertly administered _obliviate_ was something a trained expert would have struggled to perform…’

‘What do I need to do?’ Hermione asked, exhilarated.


	2. Healer Training

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione is called to the Hospital wing to help a certain blond Slytherin...

‘…so along with the subjects I was planning on taking, I am going to assist Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing when she is busy, and Slughorn is going to give me assess to a secure potions lab where I can practice brewing potions used by healers.’ Hermione was sitting by the fire in the common room, Crookshanks curled in her lap and a smile which had not left her face since her chat with the headmistress. She felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, she had purpose, a goal, and a plan.

Ginny gave her a warm smile as she snuggled up next to Harry on the sofa. ‘Nurse Granger, I can picture that. You and Pomfrey are about the only people in school who think quidditch is dangerous instead of fun’.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the jibe ‘Well, look at how many times Harry has almost died playing quidditch!’

‘In fairness, I almost died a few times not playing quidditch too, so maybe it’s not the game?’ Harry was absentmindedly playing with Ginny’s hair as he spoke and she closed her eyes in relaxation. Hermione was struck by how perfectly at ease they both looked. She was exceptionally happy for her friends, but she couldn’t help feeling wistful at the same time.

Ron eyed his sister and best friend snuggling with a faint look of distaste, but he seemed to put it to the back of his mind ‘So, Professor Potter when are the quidditch try outs going to be? I assume you are captain this year?’

‘Oh, _Professor_ Potter, now that has even more interesting possibilities than Nurse Granger’ Ginny’s eyes sparkled mischievously at her boyfriend, who looked more amused than embarrassed at her suggestive tone. Ron however made a gagging noise.

‘Yeah, McGonagall wanted to check I was happy to be captain and do the DADA stuff, I think it will be fine’. Hermione was struck by the contrast between this relaxed boy in front of her, and the stressed and exhausted boy she had shared a tent with for all those months and felt her heart swell. The only thing he seemed to have in common with his younger self was his untameable hair.

Ron grinned ‘well sure, what’s a bit of quidditch and teaching of _expelliamus_ compared to defeating Voldemort eh? So who are the other captains?’ Ron asked as he scoffed what appeared to be his fourth chocolate frog.

‘I don’t know the Hufflepuff captain, it’s a fifth-year girl. Ravenclaw have Jones, who is also the keeper, and Slytherin have Malfoy’ Harry stated calmly.

‘Are you fucking _kidding_ me?’ Ron exploded, launching himself out of his armchair in anger, chocolate frog boxes clattering to the floor. ‘Malfoy, a fucking _quidditch captain_? Why would McGonagall do that? ‘Mione and I saw today, even his own house hate him’ he looked around his friends waiting for someone to share his resentment.

‘I did actually ask the headmistress the same thing – although not in those words’ Harry frowned slightly. ‘She said it was important for Slytherin house unity, they need to get over the war and move forward as a team… she also said he is by far the strongest player, which is fair, and to be honest, I think she is a bit worried about him’

‘Worried? About a fucking _death eater_?’ Ron continued to glower down at his friends, their composure seeming to make him angrier.

Ginny rolled her eyes and sighed in a very Molly Weasley way ‘Come on now, let’s not have this argument again bro, it’s boring’

Ron looked about the group one final time, sensing that nobody was willing to join in his Malfoy bashing he spotted Dean across the common room and called over ‘Oi Dean, did you hear about the quidditch captains?’ before stomping over in the hope of a more willing participant in a bitch session.

‘Well thankfully our first match is with Hufflepuff and not Slytherin, give him time to calm down’ Harry sighed. He kissed the top of Ginny’s head ‘Wanna practice tomorrow after class? Help me figure out who to shortlist for the try outs?’

‘Oh yes _sir, professor’_ Ginny giggled ‘Anything you need’

‘And with that I am going to bed’ Hermione announced, being a third wheel while Ginny had this whole professor bit going was pushing the limits of her friendship.

***

At breakfast a few days later, an unfamiliar grey owl dropped down in front of Hermione, almost knocking over the textbook she had propped up against a jug of orange juice.

_Miss Granger,_

_I have been notified that the Ravenclaw quidditch try outs are this afternoon, I am anticipating some injuries, if you would like to come to the hospital wing after lunch you can help me prepare for the inevitable broom related incidents._

_Best wishes,_

_Poppy Pomfrey_   
  


Hermione arrived promptly to the hospital wing and helped Madam Pomfrey do a stock check of all the most common potions used in quidditch related injuries.

‘Usually Skelegro and dittany, along with some basic spellwork, will solve most injuries from the try outs… the games themselves, well I just expect anything.’ Madam Pomfrey gave Hermione a book of healer spells to practice and asked her to brew more Skelegro in the potions lab ‘we do buy it in, but since the war supplies are low and if we could make our own…’

‘Of course!’ Hermione was only too happy to get going. She had never brewed Skelegro but was aware that it was exceptionally complicated, yet quick to make. Each batch taking just 24 hours to prepare.

At that moment the doors to the hospital wing burst open and two students carried the limp body of a third to the nearest bed. ‘Bludger or broom?’ Pomfrey asked in a brisk manner.

‘Bludger hit her right in the back of the head, she lost consciousness immediately and fell about 15 feet’ a Ravenclaw boy looked tearful as he softly stroked the cheek of the unconscious girl.

‘Right then Miss Granger, follow my lead’ and with that Madam Pomfrey and Hermione set to work, first assessing the damage, then healing the fractured skull and administering pain medicine. The girl was awake and smiling within the hour, but Madam Pomfrey insisted she spend the night in the hospital wing for observation.

After fixing a broken wrist on her own, another Ravenclaw quidditch hopeful, this time a second-year boy, Hermione was feeling immensely pleased with herself. She was helping people, and without risking life and limb or facing pure evil. She decided to see Slughorn tomorrow to get set up in the potions lab.

‘Of course,’ Pomfrey started talking as if they were already halfway through a conversation as they neatened the stock cupboard in her office, ‘since the war, the biggest problem is mental health, students having nightmares and flashbacks. I give them calming drought to sleep, but that doesn’t help them long term.’ She sighed as she added bandages to the shelf.

‘Sounds like PTSD’ seeing her confused look Hermione clarified ‘Post traumatic stress disorder, a muggle term. There are various ways they treat it, but a safe space to work through their issues is often a good start.’ Madam Pomfrey looked thoughtful, before asking Hermione if she could procure some muggle books on the subject.

***

After lunch Professor Slughorn had given Hermione the tour of the password protected potions lab for special projects, showing her the cupboards which contained the supplies she might need, and a bookshelf of restricted potions books that did not appear in the library. There were two large tables to work at and a variety of cauldrons hanging on the wall. Despite the lack of windows, since it was in the dungeons, Hermione was looking forward to working in here. For the time being she left the lab with Slughorn, who was harping on about a ‘slug-club get together’ when two breathless first years ran up to them in the corridor.

‘Miss Granger, we have been looking everywhere for you!’ They panted, trying to catch their breath. ‘Madam Pomfrey sent us to find you, she would like your help urgently in the hospital wing’

Hermione wishes, not for the first time, that one could apparate within the walls of Hogwarts. She had no idea what was happening in the hospital wing, perhaps Harry or Ron were injured? Perhaps it was life or death? Another dark wizard on a murderous rampage? Her arm itched where Bellatrix had carved into it as all the worst-case scenarios popped into her head. She ran up seemingly endless flights of stairs ignoring the stitch in her side or the fact that most of her hair seemed to have fallen out of her clips to frizz about her head. She stumbled into the hospital wing looking around wildly for any sign of danger.

‘Well if it isn’t nurse Granger’ a familiar voice drawled

***

Hermione turned towards his voice ‘Malfoy, what _happened_?’ She struggled to comprehend what was going on. Malfoy was sitting in a chair by one of the hospital beds. His left eye was bruised and swollen shut, he had cuts on his face and his right sleeve was torn above the elbow, showing oh my god, was that his _bone_? How was he so calm? What was happening? Hermione felt utterly lost. Then she noticed a pissed off, but seemingly unharmed Blaise Zabini next to Malfoy.

‘Granger, perhaps you can talk some sense into him? It appears some people don’t care to have a death eater in the school, and made their feelings known. I found him and Pansy trying to heal him themselves. He didn’t want to come to the hospital wing and cast a numbing spell on himself to help the pain. Had to hex him to get him up here, the git’ Zabini eyed Malfoy with resentment and Hermione, no quite recovered from her earlier panic, saw red.

‘Found him afterwards, did you? How convenient. Are you sure you weren’t waiting for them to give him a good beating? I have seen how you Slytherins ignore him in the hall at mealtimes. So much for sticking by your friends huh? And now you are calling him names when he is clearly seriously injured? Just what is your problem?’ As she spoke she had marched up to Zabini until she was almost nose to nose with him. She could feel her magic crackling, ready to attack the smallest thread.

‘My, my Granger, I didn’t know you cared’ Hermione was fairly sure Malfoy would have been smirking if swollen eye and cut face had allowed it. Hermione flushed at his words. _Did_ she care? She hadn’t consciously been monitoring Malfoy in the Great Hall, but she realised she had taken note of his solitary figure, only occasionally would Pansy join him and even then, he didn’t look happy.

Before Hermione or Zabini could respond Madam Pomfrey appeared at her side. ‘Oh dear, thank you so much for coming. I have half a dozen fourth years vomiting small bats and I am not sure if it’s a new flu, or a spell gone wrong but I am going to have to quarantine them and monitor them closely in the next unit, so I need you to look after Mr Malfoy here. I am sure you can handle the injuries, here’s the healers reference book just in case. He will need Skelegro for his leg, so this is a great opportunity for you to monitor him so you can familiarise yourself with the whole process. He is not to leave this ward until tomorrow morning under any circumstances.’ Pomfrey gave Malfoy a stern look as she said this then beckoned Hermione out of earshot of the Slytherin boys ‘I need you to keep an eye on him and see if you can figure out who did this, I’m concerned for his safety.’ With that Pomfrey headed for the second set of door and Hermione briefly glimpsed some rather sticky looking bats flying around as the door swing shut behind her.

Zabini coughed and ran a hand over his short, black hair. ‘Much as I would love to continue our discussion Granger, I am late for fifth period and I would hate to miss any more _muggle studies_ than I have to’ his words dripped sarcasm as he nodded once to Malfoy and headed to the doors.

Looking over at Malfoy Hermione realised she had countless questions about his injuries but she couldn’t resist starting with ‘Zabini takes muggle studies?’

‘All students with a family connection to death eaters are required to take muggle studies, new rule from our headmistress. Yesterday we learnt about pelican crossings, muggles landing on the moon and toastie makers’ Draco informed her without a hint of irony ‘now, do you think you could make a start on healing me or would you like to discuss Neil Armstrong’s giant leap for mugglekind?’

‘Right, yes’ _Pull yourself together, witch_ Hermione mentally scolded herself. Slowly she walked over to Malfoy’s chair, taking in the injuries she could see. Drawing a deep breath, she spoke ‘I am going to use a spell to assess the injuries, please stay still’ using the flicks of her wrist as Madam Pomfrey had shown her, a pale green light appeared at the tip of her wand.

Hermione forgot it was Malfoy she was looking at as she guided her wand across his body like a muggle airport security guard, he stayed silent as she mentally noted which areas caused her wandlight to change colour. When she reached his arm the top of her wand glowed a deep scarlet. His head caused a burnt orange glow, and his leg a pale yellow.

‘How did you manage to lose the bones in your left leg then?’ she asked as she picked up his limp limb supressing a smile ‘Gilderoy Lockhart wasn’t trying to heal you was he?’

‘That was Pans, she thought she could heal the break. It didn’t go to plan. That’s when Blaise stepped in and forced me up here. Pansy and I were going to try and numb and heal everything ourselves, Blaise told Pans off for encouraging me and told her to go back to muggle studies to vouch for his whereabouts’. His one good eye looked at her defiantly, daring her to scold him. Hermione found she didn’t have the energy for that she just wanted to focus on healing him.

‘Let’s move you to the bed’ Hermione supported Malfoy’s undamaged left arm and helped him hop over to the bed to lie down. He was quiet and compliant, which was unexpectedly helpful. She was very aware that this would be the first time she healed a student without Madam Pomfrey watching over her, and she was determined to do everything correctly.

‘First this arm’ gently picking up his right hand, entwining her fingers with his to keep the arm in the ideal position. His hand was so much bigger than hers, his long fingers were warm as Hermione cast a perfect _Brackium Emendo_ and the bone healed, thankfully disappearing back into his arm where it belonged. She let out a small sign of relief. Next a muttered _Ferula_ covered the arm in soothing bandages.

Utterly focused Hermione began to heal Malfoy’s face, casing spells and then applying soothing lotion to his left eye, now considerably less swollen, his cheekbone and down the left side of his jaw. At first, he had appeared to be in pain, flinching at her touch, but the lotion seemed to help. He had quite a beautiful face now she had chance to study it, such a strong jawline, a slight feel of stubble under her fingers. And his eyes were such a beautiful shade of grey, with little flecks of azure by the pupils. His pupils, which were currently looking right at her. _Fuck, how long had she been stroking his face like that?_ Her cheeks heated as she reminded herself he couldn’t read her mind, and he had no idea how much healing lotion was required. 

‘Ahem, can you sit up please, I am just going to check your head, make sure I got all the cuts’. She sent a silent thank you to Circe that Malfoy was keeping his thoughts to himself. She took her time gently running her fingers though his hair, tracing his scalp in soft circles to ensure there was no hidden injuries. She could have just used her wand, but Hermione was determined to be thorough and this was she didn’t have to meet his gaze for a few minutes. _If Malfoy was silent all the time he might be quite fit_ she thought as she gently tugged on his blond locks. She adored having her hair played with and had subconsciously gone from injury checker to head masseur for Malfoy. As soon as she realised what she had done she felt a blush creep up her neck. Honestly, what was wrong with her today? Maybe she was ovulating? She took a breath to calm herself and removed her hands from the head of her playground bully. _Bully,_ she reminded herself. Not fit, bully.

‘All that’s left is to regrow those bones.’ She announced brightly, without meeting his gaze. ‘I’ll just grab the potion, don’t hop off anywhere’ dashing into Pomfrey’s office she found the skeleton shaped bottle and was back in a flash, worried Malfoy might have tried to escape now he was mostly healed, but he was right where she had left him.

***

Malfoy reflected that today had taken some rather unexpected turns. Not getting the shit beaten out of him, he was starting to expect that. But he hadn’t expected Blaise to get involved. The Slytherin had avoided him since the war, probably to try and protect his own reputation, but apparently seeing Draco post beating had induced their friendship again. Truth be told, he was thankful not to have to rely on Pans for healing. They might have been able to keep the beating under wraps, but he didn’t fancy his chances of a full recovery under her care.

Even more astonishing was Granger. The way she laid into Zabini, nobody had ever got angry like that on his behalf. Even her hair had seemed to snap with magic. Did she just pity him? It didn’t _seem_ like pity. When she had taken his hand to fix his arm his breath had hitched in his throat. Hopefully Granger hadn’t clocked that. But she touched him without flinching, like it was normal to hold the hand of a former enemy. He fleetingly wondered what it would be like to walk with her, hand in hand, down a corridor. But before he knew it she had healed his arm and was attending to his face. Her touch sent shivers of pleasure down his spine and he focused translating chapter one of _Hogwarts: A History_ into ancient runes in his head to take his mind off her fingers. But she seemed to be focusing her attention on his jaw, which hadn’t been particularly hurt in the first place. When their eyes met he saw embarrassment plainly on her face. What had she been thinking? Was there any possibility she found him attractive? He was so captivated by this thought he didn’t even respond to her when she asked him to sit up.

The feel of her hands in his hair was bliss, it was simultaneously relaxing and arousing. The gentlest foreplay. He could feel her breath on the back of his neck and suppressed a shudder of desire. He didn’t want to move a muscle in case it broke the magic of the moment. As she imperceptibly pulled his hair it was all he could do not to groan in pleasure. He imagined her pulling harder, imagined what he might do to this unpredictable witch to make her tug on his hair, perhaps if he was between her legs… _Merlin_ , he needed to get a grip before Hermione noticed he was semi-hard from her touch.

As she dashed off to the office Malfoy quickly cast a disillusionment charm at his crotch, figuring it was better to be safe than sorry. Pomfrey had said Hermione needed to observe the potion working to regrow his bones. She was going to be here all night. Malfoy decided not to waste this opportunity. He was going to have some fun before his inevitable next beating.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Creeping towards some Dramione action, stay tuned, next post will follow in a few days. All feedback welcome!


	3. Truth or Dare?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Malfoy spend the night alone in the hospital wing playing truth or dare, what will they discover about each other?

‘Merlin’s hairy ballsack that is the foulest thing I have ever put in my mouth’ Malfoy swallowed hard, trying to avoid retching up the Skelegro as he coughed.

‘And here I thought you snogged Millicent Bulstrode back in third year’ Hermione replied with a straight face. Malfoy’s momentary shocked expression was priceless.

Regaining his composure, he stretched his now healed arm, flexing his long fingers and giving a small satisfied sigh. Raising his eyes to meet Hermione’s he retorted ‘I have never been one to backdown from a dare, Granger’.

Involuntarily Hermione’s mind flashed back to a game of truth or dare played in the Gryffindor common room during fourth year. Harry had been busy sticking his head in the sand over the tri-wizard tournament and Ron had been busy nursing his jealousy, but Parvati and Fay had talked her into playing, and she had succeeded in shocking her classmates by refusing to back down. She had also discovered an aptitude for thinking up the most inventive and exciting dares. As she mentally shook the memory away her eyes focused again on Malfoy. ‘Well, that makes two of us.’

Before Malfoy could make any exciting inferences about Hermione’s truth or dare habits he was struck with an agonising stabbing pain in his boneless leg. Hissing out expletives his cool eyes watered. Hermione immediately went into healer mode. ‘What does it feel like?’ she asked as she grabbed a pillow from the empty bed to her left and placed it under the rubbery leg.

‘Like I have several sharpened… toothpicks running around… the inside of my leg’ his words came in short bursts around the pain as Hermione flicked through the healers’ reference book Pomfrey had given to her earlier.

Finding the page on Skelegro she quickly crossed referenced with the section on pain medicine. ‘There is nothing in this book about why this has to hurt, it’s like they invented the treatment and didn’t stop to consider making it easier on the poor boneless patient. Honestly now that I think about it, a lot of treatments seem rather medieval.’ Hermione fished a biro out of her pocket and began scribbling notes on a spiral bound notebook labelled ‘Healer training’.

‘So are you saying I can have some sort of pain relief … _fuck_ ’ Malfoy’s face was scrunched in pain, his knuckles twisting the bedsheets.

‘well I am not sure what would work alongside the Skelegro…’ Hermione continued to thumb through the reference book, ignoring Malfoy’s stifled cries of pain. ‘A numbing spell wouldn’t go deep enough…’ she flicked more pages ‘Sleeping draught would likely just cause painful dreams… I wonder if belladonna mixed with …’ the witch muttered to herself for several minutes before turning her attention back to her patient.

‘I don’t know what would be the most effective pain relief here Malfoy, you would have to be willing to be my guinea pig… it probably won’t cause the pain to get any worse’ she paused chewing the tip of her pen thoughtfully, ‘although really, any side effects would be helpful to find out about’

‘Glad to know my welfare is nothing compared to your research’ the pale wizard bit out sarcastically.

Hermione tapped her wand to Malfoy’s leg ‘ _Arresto dolor_ ’ and suddenly the pain was much more manageable. He let out a breath of relief.

‘Ten points to Gryffindor, Nurse Granger’

Hermione insisted Malfoy describe his pain levels, in detail, twice, as she scribbled data in her notebook. He watched her as she wrote, noticing how she occasionally bit her lip when she was concentrating. When stray curls fell over her notebook she huffed and re-clipped her hair with practiced moves, clearly giving no thought to the aesthetics of the outcome. But even so he couldn’t help noticing that her clipped back curls showed off her slender neck. _Slender_ neck? _Neck_? What the fuck was wrong with him. He didn’t go around eyeing up girls’ necks for crying out loud. Ass, legs, breasts, lips, eyes. But necks? This was new. Maybe it was the pain relief making him dopey.

Once Hermione was content that she had all the information she required they slipped into a comfortable silence. Hermione was immensely satisfied she had lessened the pain of the Skelegro, mentally reviewing what other treatments caused needless pain. Malfoy was pleased not to be writhing in agony. Slowly his thoughts returned to their earlier path, how to have some fun spending the night with the Brightest Witch.

‘Well Granger, what shall we do now? The night is still young’ He asked the question innocently enough, leaving the ball in her court, for the time being.

‘Who attacked you Malfoy?’ Her response caught him totally off guard. Should have seen it coming really, of course one third of the saviour of wizarding Britain would want to make sure justice was brought to all. But he realised this gave him the perfect opportunity to deflect and play a game.

‘I’ll tell you what Granger, if you want to find out about my personal affairs then I think it’s going to have to be a two-way street. Truth or Dare, fancy a game?’ His smug smile showed a certainty that the Gryffindor wouldn’t back down and his mind whirled with the possibilities, how far might she go?

***

Madam Pomfrey had asked Hermione to find out who attacked Malfoy, she didn’t like the idea of his assailants getting away scot free, and she was a Gryffindor, brave to a fault. She just needed a moment to plan.

‘We need some ground rules first Malfoy’ Hermione picked up her notebook and pen once more, this time flipping to the back page. ‘You are bedbound currently, and I need to keep an eye on you. That makes ‘dares’ a bit limited’ she absentmindedly tapped her pen against her lips as she considered.

‘Well what if the dares have a timeframe – as long as you complete them within a set period?’ Malfoy suggested ‘Although we would need to trust that the other person actually went through with it… not to mention there is no way to guarantee the other person will tell the truth if they pick that option…’

‘Well of course normally one would play with people they already trust to a certain degree…’ Hermione paused, did she trust Malfoy _at all_? Yes, she realised, she trusted that he was no longer a death eater, that he didn’t seem to wish her physical harm, but she didn’t trust him much further than that.

They needed some guarantees. She dashed off to the office once more, calling out that she would only be a minute. She returned holding a glass bottle of Otter’s fizzy orange juice in one hand and a tiny glass vial in the other. Setting both down on the nightstand next to Malfoy’s bed she drew the hospital curtains around them and began writing in her notebook.

_Truth or dare rules – 8 th September 1998 _

  1. _When picking ‘truth’ the player must take a sip of Otter’s before the question is asked._
  2. _Any knowledge gained from the game cannot be repeated without permission of the other party_
  3. _Players can forfeit a dare, but the penalty is ...._



Hermione paused her writing. Rule 1 was so Malfoy couldn’t avoid telling her who attacked him, since he had clearly wanted to hush up the whole incident. Rule 2 was to stop him blabbing any of her secrets around school, just in case. But rule 3… no point making it a monetary penalty, the Malfoys had plenty of gold, so that would only disadvantage her… it had to be something the other person wouldn’t want to do…

‘Is the Brightest Witch trying to get out of playing?’ Malfoy lightly teased ‘you don’t have to pretend to be thinking about it, just admit defeat and we can move on, perhaps a rousing game of noughts and crosses is more within your comfort zone?’

‘We just need a for failure to do a dare… I can’t think of anything to act as a deterrent for both of us’ Hermione huffed in frustration.

With a roguish grin Malfoy said simply ‘we need different forfeits. If you refuse a dare then … you have to cheer for Slytherin in their next quidditch match, green and white flags an all that … ’ his smile grew wider as he thought of things that Hermione would want to avoid ‘..or you have to ask out a person of my choosing, and if they say yes, you must go on a date with them’

Hermione’s features had frozen at the idea of doing either forfeit. Harry, Ginny and Ron would never forgive her, _especially_ Ron. But maybe she could wear a disguise, and if she asked someone out really unenthusiastically they were bound to say no, right?

‘Okay Malfoy’ she agreed, adding the details to rule 3. ‘But if you fail to complete a dare then you have to congratulate Ron and Harry on their next quidditch match, totally sincerely with details about what they did in game that was particularly talented… or you have to volunteer to be my guinea pig for healer training for the rest of the term, if I need someone to take an experimental potion for example…’ She was aware that this wouldn’t exactly humiliate Malfoy, but it would help her research no end to have someone to practice treatments on and she was sure he wouldn’t want to spend any more time with her if he could help it.

After contemplating for a few moments Malfoy acquiesced. Hermione finished noting now rule 3 before handing the notebook and pen to Malfoy to read and sign. He eyed the biro ‘What’s wrong with a quill?’ to which Hermione rolled her eyes, if he couldn’t see the benefits she wasn’t going to waste her breath. ‘Any why exactly do we have to drink Otter’s?’ he enquired as he read rule one.

‘Simple, I’ve measured out enough Veritaserum so that each sip will result in one approximately one truthful answer’ Hermione was pleased she had figured out a way to ensure honesty in the game.

‘And the fact that this is a restricted potion which should not be used in student games?’ Malfoy was impressed with her nonchalance for breaking the rules, he always had her pegged as a goody-two-shoes.

‘You would be surprised, Malfoy, the rules I can break without getting caught’. Truthfully, since living through Bellatrix and the battle and the other ordeals of the last few years, Hermione felt like playing by the rules wasn’t always the most important thing.

***

They had both signed the rules. The dull ache in Malfoy’s leg was beginning to turn into more of a sharp pain and he was keen to take his mind off it.

‘I’ll go first, shall I? Truth. Pass the bottle’ Malfoy smiled as if he hadn’t a care in the world, as Hermione tipped the veritaserum into the juice and handed the bottle over. She watched him as he took a sip, then asked

‘Who attacked you today Malfoy?’

‘I have no idea Granger, they had covered their faces’ he smiled merrily at the witch as he saw the penny drop and she realised why he hadn’t been more concerned about the game.

‘But then who –‘ Hermione began

‘tut-tut Granger, my turn now. Truth or dare?’

Malfoy could see she was considering what questions she could ask him next, and hardly seemed to consider her answer ‘truth, get it over with’

He handed back the bottle and watched as her soft looking lips touched the rim, just where his had moments before. Watching as she swallowed felt unexpectedly sensual. Where should be begin? Lull her into a false sense of security or just launch with a shocking question? In the end he couldn’t resist.

‘Is Weasley any good in the sack?’ Hermione’s eyes widened in shock. She clearly hadn’t expected this line of questioning, silly witch, what did she think he would be interested in? Study plans? Hopes and dreams? Intel on her glorious fighting days?

He could see her try in vain to bite back the answer but it was no use, the answer came out in short bursts ‘rather quick… nice… kind… but unfulfilling…’

***

_Rule 2, it’s okay, he won’t be able to repeat it_ Hermione told herself. But she still felt guilty. She had just admitted, for the first time, that Ron had not been a good lay. And she had told the person he hated most in the world. She shouldn’t have agreed to play this game. She had betrayed her oldest friend. Malfoy looked like all his Christmases had come at once. There was only one thing for it. She took another swig of orange and continued truthfully ‘I love Ron, he is one of the most important people in the world to me. I have no regrets.’

Malfoy’s smile had diminished but not disappeared. ‘Okay Granger, I get it, you are totally happy with mediocre unfulfilling sex… but haven’t you even been tempted to –‘

‘nu-huh Malfoy, no second questions remember. And now it’s my turn to ask you. Truth or dare?’

‘Dare’ he drawled.

Hermione needed to stay focused. She wanted to find out what was going on with Malfoy, she needed to get him back on ‘truths’ so she needed to pick something he would hate, so he wouldn’t pick dare again. But she didn’t want to humiliate him publicly in a way that might encourage more bullying towards him, that was the opposite of her intentions.

‘I dare you to go for lunch at Hagrid’s house this weekend, being kind and respectful for the duration of your visit, apologise for your past behaviour and eat anything you are offered’.

Malfoy’s smile had vanished entirely now, but he nodded ‘alright, well played Granger. Truth or dare?’

She picked truth, figuring it couldn’t get much worse, and took another sip of juice, meeting Malfoy’s gaze, determined to show no fear.

‘If Weaselby leaves you so unsatisfied then I’d wager you fantasize about other wizards….’ _Shit, shit shit_. If she had to admit to Draco fucking _Malfoy_ that she once fantasied about Professor Snape ordering her to get on her knees she was going to throw herself out of the nearest window. Maybe if she ran fast enough she could do it before the words left her mouth.

‘What makes you care that I was attacked?’ She was so surprised by his about turn she was hardly aware of herself answering, and without her force of will trying to hold the words back she found she was saying a lot more this time. She told him in no uncertain terms what Harry and Hermione had repeated to Ron countless times over the summer. He was a product of his environment, he had been forced between a rock and a hard place trying to protect his family, he had lowered his wand against Dumbledore.

‘…but mostly, because to move on from the war, we need to start seeing people as individuals. Not as mudblood and pureblood, good vs bad, grudges will only cause more problems’

Malfoy had stared wide eyed at her speech but he recovered himself quickly ‘And here I thought you just wanted to protect my pretty face from further beatings’

***

‘Well it is a pretty face’ Hermione acknowledged with a shrug. _Was that the veritaserum talking or was she being sarcastic?_ This was the second time he had reason to question if Hermione might find him attractive. Coincidence surely? He wanted to keep playing but the building pain in his leg was making it hard to focus.

‘Do you think you could cast that spell again Granger? Pain is starting to increase a bit more’

Hermione left her chair and stretched before approaching the bed. Tapping his leg with her wand she repeated the spell from earlier.

‘No dice I’m afraid, pain hasn’t gone this time’

Quickly Hermione jotted down a few notes, checking the time on her watch ‘wow, we totally missed dinner it’s almost eleven now. That means the spell lasted for…’ as she continued to mutter the pain in his leg continued to grow, presumably as the bones grew. Would the pain peak at the end? Malfoy found that he was quite curious about how the potion worked.

After several more spells failed to alleviate the pain Hermione strolled to the office again, returning with a large green jar that sparkled slightly under the light. ‘We are going to try Miss Mercy’s Extra Strength Pain Relief lotion’ she informed him setting down the jar on the nightstand. ‘Gonna need to lose the trousers Malfoy, or at least the left leg’

‘These are elfcrafted trousers, tailored for me, you cannot _chop off_ one of the legs’ Seeing Hermione’s amused eye roll he realised how ridiculously pompous he sounded and grinned at her. ‘would you give a wizard some privacy, or perhaps you want to help remove my trousers?’ The blush which appeared on her cheeks was fucking _adorable_. She stepped outside the curtain wordlessly and he undid his belt, shimmying the trousers down his legs without getting out of the bed pausing once or twice to curse as the stabbing pain increased.

‘do you – are you sure you – er, can I help?’ Hermione’s voice was low and uncertain, and sexy as hell. Malfoy took a second to imagine her undressing him. Her soft hands working their way slowly down… He was getting hard just thinking about it. Something his boxer briefs wouldn’t hide. He went back to translating runes in his head and took a few deep breaths as he kicked his trousers to the floor and settled his right leg and crotch under the blankets, leaving just the left leg exposed.

‘All good nurse Granger, you can come back now’

Granger eyed his leg with focus, in full healer mode, before opening the green jar and applying the lotion. She rubbed the lotion in large, firm circles. Only when she got to mid-thigh did she slow down her progress. ‘If feels like most of the bone is there, probably why the pain peaked, shouldn’t be too much longer now’ her hands on his leg had become softer, smaller circles as she worked her way higher. Just as she got to a point where he thought her hands might cause all his blood to rush south again she stopped. ‘That should do it’ Hermione replaced the green lid and went back to her chair, which she wiggled in uncomfortably.

‘Thanks Granger, starting to feel better already.’ Suddenly Malfoy was overcome with exhaustion. Today had been a lot. Nothing like getting viciously beaten to make someone want an early night.

***

Hermione was shattered as well. Unbelievably lessons were starting to feel like the least important part of her week so far. But she wanted one last try and getting some information out of Malfoy regarding his attacks. ‘Truth or dare Malfoy?’ she let out a yawn as she asked him and tried tucking her legs up under her in a bid to get more comfortable. She wondered if the attackers might be plotting to find him in the hospital wing in the middle of the night, perhaps that was why he was so keen not to seek a healer, so he could be safely in Slytherin house tonight.

‘Truth’ he answered, catching her yawn as he did so. He picked up the orange and took sip, it was less than half full now.

‘What do you want more than anything right now?’ She hadn’t planned on asking that. She had been thinking about getting more of a description of the attackers, but the words popped out unbidden and she realised she was very curious to know the answer.

‘Comfort’ Malfoy said simply. That one word expressing a much bigger need. ‘Your turn Granger’

She finished the juice in silent answer, struggling to keep her eyes open.

‘What do you want more than anything right now?’ Malfoy repeated her words back to her. Partly because he was unable to think of a more interesting question, but mostly because he wanted to know.

‘To protect you – my _patient_ ’ she clarified ‘from possible attackers, and to sleep in a comfortable bed’ Hermione sighed. She wasn’t leaving Malfoy’s side and if that meant not having a bed then so be it. She knew healer training would be a challenge.

Malfoy grabbed his wand and cast a quick spell. Before her eyes his bed tripled in size and sprouted extra pillows. ‘You can guard me and sleep, plenty of room, I won’t disturb you’

Hermione could think of about a thousand reasons why sharing a bed with Malfoy was crazy, but found she didn’t really care at that moment. Instead she crawled into the plush bed fully clothed. She could cast strong protection charms practically in her sleep after months on the run with Harry, which was handy as she was hardly awake now, as soon as the spells were cast her eyes closed and sleep took her. Malfoy following suit moments later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally thought this was going to be 6 chapters, but it might be more like 10 now. Will try and post as quickly as possible.  
> All feedback welcome, thanks to those that have left kudos it's totally made my day.


	4. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malfoy and Hermione wake up together in an unexpected way. 
> 
> Just a short chapter before things pick up speed.

Draco was dreaming of the manor again, dark rooms and fear permeating the air when he slowly became aware of a foreign noise, a low ringing which did not fit with the vision of his home. An alarm? Slowly he opened his eyes and saw Granger, already out of bed, wand in hand as she cast a non-verbal spell to silence her protection charm. Malfoy noticed her hand was trembling ever so slightly.

  
"Granger what-"   
  
She shushed him with a fierce look as the curtain closest to the foot of the bed slowly drew back.   
  
'Good morning Hermione, Mr. Malfoy' Madam Pomfrey nodded at them both as if nothing was amiss with seeing her healer in training sporting a severe case of bedhead and brandishing a wand while her patient lay on a giant bed that he had clearly shared. 'I trust you are feeling better?' she addressed the wizard with a clipped tone.   
  
'I am, thank you Madam Pomfrey. Granger went above and beyond to make the night as painless as possible'. He hadn't intended his words to sound like an insinuation but they somehow did anyway. Well nevermind, the opinion of the school healer was fairly low on his list of concerns.

He caught Granger's eyes and she looked mortified. That made sense he supposed, golden girl had practically been caught in bed with a patient. Probably not one of the duties listed in the training guide. Not that he had an ungentlemanly motive for sharing his bed last night. Now he was recovered he imagined he might spend some time considering what he might have done if he'd been in less pain and more awake. But at the time he had genuinely just wanted to help her out, after she had tried her best to lessen his discomfort. Fairs fair and all that. He undid last night's spellwork and his bed shrank back to its regular size. 

  
Madam Pomfrey nodded again and walked towards her office, Hermione following quickly without a backwards glance.   
  
***   
  
Hermione shut the office door behind her and launched into a garbled speech 'Madam Pomfrey, I tried to find out who attacked him and I couldn't, but I did find a way to make Skelegro less painful.. at least in the short term.. but I was so tired and I just .. I wrote down all my research my book ...' she trailed off realising her notebook was still next to Malfoy's bed. She couldn't meet the healers gaze. Shame flooded through her. She should have taken some pep up potion and stayed awake. _What had she been thinking?_   
  
'Hermione, this is the third time Mr Malfoy has been to the hospital wing since school started. His injuries were equally brutal the first two times but he refused to stay the night, sneaking back to Slytherin as soon as he could, at great risk to his health. I simply can't stay with him all night, other students need me and frankly -' she smiled at the young witch 'at my age, I need my own bed. You kept him here and healed him, as is your job. I don't need the details. Well done dear.'   
  
Relief filled her as the healer instructed her to go down to the great hall for breakfast. Madam Pomfrey was full of surprises. As Hermione reached for the door she suddenly had a thought 'Madam Pomfrey, what happened with the fourth years? Was it the flu?'   
  
'Worse, Weasley's wizarding wheezes have a new line of Halloween themed sickness inducing sweets, turned out they were trying to skip astronomy.' Hermione suppressed a giggle. Seemed like George might be getting back to his old self, he hadn't created any new merchandise since the battle. 'and Hermione, please call me Poppy, we are colleagues after all'. 

When Hermione reached Malfoy’s bed, the wizard was gone. She grabbed her notebook, disappeared the new empty bottle of Otter’s Fizzy Orange and headed down to breakfast.

***

‘Mione, where you been?’ Ron eyed his friend curiously as she sat down and poured herself some juice.

‘And why exactly do you look like you woke up in a bush, in yesterdays clothes?’ Ginny grinned as she gestured to Hermione’s tangled hair ‘Are we witnessing a Granger walk of shame right now?’

Hermione touched her curls and groaned. ‘I was in the hospital wing all night helping Madam Pomfrey’ she explained, running her fingers through her hair in lieu of a comb.

Ginny gave a fake disappointed huff ‘One day Hermione, you are going to have to talk a walk on the wild side, skip class or stay out all night because you are partying with some handsome young wizard…or witch’. She wiggled her pale eyebrows provocatively.

Checking her reflection in a teaspoon and deciding it was a losing battle trying to further improve her appearance Hermione rolled her eyes at the ginger witch without replying.

‘So, what was the big emergency? Has Madam Pomfrey given you more responsibility?’ Harry was clearly trying to move the conversation in a direction he thought his best friend would appreciate, but Hermione realised she wanted to avoid the details of her night if she could. There was no way Ron, or even Harry, would understand how playing truth or dare and sharing a bed with Malfoy was part of her healer training. Ginny, she mused, would probably find it funny.

‘Actually, your brother is partially responsible’ she eyed the two Weasleys’, hearing their brother was continuing to cause havoc at Hogwarts was bound to amuse them, so she launched into a description of the sticky bats which soon had them all laughing, and sidestepped any mention of Malfoy.


	5. Experimental potions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Malfoy find themselves alone in a potions lab ...

On Thursday Professor Slughorn happily announced that the NEWT class was about to begin a month-long challenge of brewing Polyjuice potion. ‘A complicated potion like this will require you to work in pairs and follow every instruction with the utmost care. Knowing how to brew and recognise this potion is of the highest importance. Why look at Professor Moody…’ he faltered, perhaps remembering Moody’s death as he sought to protect Harry. ‘Well anyway’ he clapped his hands as if to end the recollection ‘pair up, pair up!’

Harry and Ron both looked at Hermione and themselves as if hoping they had miscounted. ‘Harry, mate, you find someone else, you are great at potions. I will never pass this topic if Hermione isn’t helping me’ Ron pleaded with Harry, looking genuinely concerned.

‘I don’t have Snape’s book, anymore do I? I am just as lost as you without Hermione’

As both boys continued to bicker in panicked undertones Hermione noticed that instead of pairing up, Malfoy had spoken briefly to Slughorn and left the room. _Lucky him_ , she thought, she had been brewing this potion since second year, this month was going to be tedious, _unless_ …

Without a word to her friends Hermione trotted to Slughorn's desk. She detailed her expertise with Polyjuice – skirting around times that it had involved stealing from the school supply cupboard - and emphasising how their trip to the Ministry had been integral to defeating Voldemort.

‘Very well Miss Granger, can’t have you wasting your talent, can we? Why don’t you go to the secure lab and make a start on the potions to help Madam Pomfrey?’

‘Shall I write a few feet of parchment on the uses and effects of Polyjuice just so you have it when it comes to the NEWT coursework assessment?’ Hermione asked quickly, already considering how she might suggest some improvements for the explanation in the textbook.

‘Capital, dear girl, capital!’ Slughorn beamed ‘Now about a slug club meeting, how does next week suit?’

After making non-committal noises of agreement Hermione nipped back to the desk where Harry and Ron now both looked disbelievingly at her.

‘You’re leaving us to do this alone aren’t you?’ Harry asked in a resigned voice. She nodded apologetically. ‘S’okay, I have to make sure I can do it myself before I start in the DMLE’ Harry smiled reassuringly at her.

‘Can you still check over in, give us some pointers?’ Ron appeared a bit grumpier than Harry about the new situation.

‘Of course, drop by the lab at the end of the lesson and let me know how the first stage went’ shooting both of them a smile Hermione strolled out of the room excited by the prospect of some time to develop her potions ideas.

‘Mulpepper’ Hermione addressed the suite of armour at the end of the potions corridor, and it sprang to the left, revealing the door to the lab, she practically skipped into the room relishing the freedom from standard lessons, but came to an abrupt halt when she saw she was not alone.

‘ _Malfoy_? What are you doing in _my_ potions lab?’

***

He turned and smiled at the confused looking witch. At least she didn’t seem angry, which was the look he was most accustomed to seeing on the faces of his classmates.

‘Afraid it’s _our_ lab now Granger’ Malfoy looked up from where he leaned against the bookshelf, an old looking red leather-bound tome open in one hand, thumb marking his page. ‘I have permission to work on some experimental potions for extra credit, since Polyjuice is child’s play.’ As he spoke Malfoy let his eyes trail down the witches’ body, noting how her fitted school shirt showed off her small waist, and her grey pleated skirt revealed her long legs. _Huh._ He had thought the other night was a fluke, perhaps brought on by the whole idea of ‘nurse Granger’ but apparently, he just flat out fancied her.

Hermione was blushing when he met her eyes again, as if she knew what he had been thinking. He wondered if she might argue, or go back to Slughorn and demand her own lab. But instead she just shrugged and asked him which desk he wanted.

***

They had been working in near silence for over an hour. Hermione had immediately begun preparing the ingredients for the Skelegro but found she couldn’t resist sneaking looks at Malfoy when she thought he wouldn’t notice. She had never spent time with him when he wasn’t demanding attention with jibes and insults, or, more recently, a medical emergency. It was oddly relaxing to study in peace with him.

While she crushed dried bat spleen she casually glanced up to see Malfoy engrossed in the red book he had been holding when she entered the lab. A quill and parchment next to him, making notes almost without looking away from the book, his expression thoughtful.

Finely chopping flexweed she noticed his shirt sleeves were rolled up, allowing the lamplight to catch the fine hairs on his forearms, strong muscles moving slightly as he wrote.

As she weighed out the murtlap tentacles she observed how he ran his fingers through his pale hair as he sighed, mussing it up with a look of frustration knitting his brow. Hermione imagined what it would be like to brush the hair out of his eyes with her fingers. But at that moment Malfoy looked up, meeting her gaze.

Embarrassed to be caught staring Hermione’s hand slipped and murtlap tentacles scattered across her desk. Draco shot her a small smirk, but when back to his book without comment. Fuck, so much for being discreet. She would remain focused on the task at hand and pretend he wasn’t there.

A few minutes later Hermione glanced quickly around the room to see if she could spot a larger set of scales and caught Malfoy looking at her. Was he trying to catch her looking at him? Or was he just looking at her? Or was it just a coincidence? Feeling like they were playing a game she didn’t know the rules to, Hermione shot him a half smile and went on with her work.

Over the next half an hour they continued stealing glances at each other, every so often catching the other in the act but not speaking. Just grinning shyly at each other and getting back to work. Finally, puffer fish descaled, Hermione was ready to brew the Skelegro potion. She stretched and turned, intending to ask Malfoy what he was working on, when a familiar shining stag trotted into the room.

‘Hermione, we’re outside but we don’t have the password, could you let us in?’ Harry’s patronus paused ‘we have had a total mare in potions!’ with that the stag dissolved.

‘That’s one way to pass messages’ Malfoy was still looking at the space the stag had taken up. He sounded reluctantly impressed.

‘I, er, better let them in’ Hermione rose from her stool and headed to the door. _There is no way this is going to go well_ she thought glumly. Wishing the boys had gone to dinner without her.

They didn’t notice Malfoy for a second, mid argument over who had caused their potion to go wrong, Harry for not keeping to correct timings or Ron for stirring the wrong way. Harry saw him first. ‘Malfoy’ he nodded at him and turned to continue explaining their plight to Hermione. Ron had more to say on the matter.

‘What the bloody hell are you doing in here?’ he looked between Hermione and Malfoy, waiting to see who was going to respond.

_For goodness sake did he have to be so utterly predictable?_ Hermione took a calming breath, remembering her mum’s advice about counting down from 10 before speaking. But before she had got to 8 in her mental countdown Malfoy was answering him.

‘Those of us who have already mastered the basics are allowed to do experimental research Weaslebee’ _Great, Malfoy was going to goad him. I don’t know why they don’t just save time and have a pissing contest against the cauldrons._ Hermione’s tempter began to spark.

‘Probably not something you will have to concern yourself with this year’ Malfoy smirked.

‘Mione, there must be another place you can work, you shouldn’t have to spend your time stuck in a room with this git. Why don’t we just go talk to Slughorn..’ his bright eyes looked encouragingly at her.

Hermione opened her mouth to tell him she was perfectly content where she was but Malfoy beat her to the punch. ‘She didn’t seem to mind the other night, why that must have been at least 12 hours together, her nursing me back to health, sharing secrets…’

_Sharing secrets, what the hell was he going to imply? Rule 2, Rule 2. Deep breath, he won’t be able to do anything._ Hermione felt her nerves fraying.

‘What the _fuck_ are you on about? ‘Mione tell me you didn’t – that you weren’t –‘ Ron clearly didn’t know how to even finish the accusation. Ever the peace keeper, Harry leaned towards Ron and muttered something in his ear. Hermione caught the words ‘irrational’ and ‘blond berk’

‘I thought you were helping Pomfrey with George’s sticky bat sweets?’ Ron’s eyes betrayed hurt and confusion.

‘I was, I mean Poppy had to see to them so I had to Malfoy, he was –‘ before she could impress upon her friend the how serious the injuries had been Malfoy had interrupted her.

‘Look, I wouldn’t worry your little ginger head over it, she spent the night telling me _huurl muuul see –‘_

_Thank Circe, rule 2 had worked. Malfoy’s tongue was currently stuck to the roof of his mouth._ Hermione smiled and decided to take control of the situation. She stepped between Malfoy and the other wizards, putting a reassuring hand on Ron’s arm, ignoring the blond behind her, who was continuing to try and speak.

‘I had to look after Malfoy, it’s part of my training and there is nothing I can do about it, I didn’t mean to keep it from you, I just, I was so happy about George’s sweets’ Ron looked ready to interject ‘ _and_ ’ she continued firmly ‘I didn’t want to fight. I am an adult, I can make choices about my studies, career and friendships without asking for permission.’

‘Of course, ‘Mione, why don’t we just see you at dinner eh? We were going to go for a quick fly round the quidditch pitch with Gin anyway weren’t we?’ Harry started to nudge Ron towards the door.

‘But he’s a dea-‘

Hermione suddenly hugged Ron before he could finish his sentence. She didn’t want a fight with him, or witness him call Malfoy a death eater scum. Knowing logical reasoning or general disagreement was likely to fan the fire of his anger she chose to deflect him instead. With both arms around his waist he lifted her lips to his ear and whispered in a low voice, so Malfoy wouldn’t overhear ‘ _Please_ Ron, please just _trust_ me on this, we can talk later tonight okay? Don’t be mad, _please_?’ She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and pulled back to see if she had successfully calmed him down.

Ron put his fingers to his cheek where her lips had just been, a slight blush on his neck. _Perhaps she had overdone it a bit with the kiss_? she didn’t want to confuse their friendship. It was pretty miraculous that they had gone from friends to lovers (albeit briefly) and back again without any hard feelings ‘Alright, see you later then’ he relented and the two boys left without acknowledging Malfoy again.

***

As soon as the door closed behind the chosen one and his sidekick Hermione turned angrily to Malfoy. ‘What the fuck was that all about? Rule 2? _Any knowledge gained from the game cannot be repeated without permission of the other party._ What the hell were you going to say? I can’t believe I even played such a stupid game with you’

_Christ, she looked sexy as hell when she was mad._ In his mind he replayed the actions of the last few minutes, Hermione hugging her boyfriend to calm him down. Kissing his cheek. He overheard her plead with him. ‘ _please Ron’_ What he wouldn’t do to hear her begging him, preferably as he had her tied to a bedpost. He couldn’t believe he was jealous of _Ron Weasley_. Especially knowing that he wasn’t even satisfying her in bed. Urgh. At least he could show he was capable of acting like an adult rather than a sulky child.

‘I apologise unreservedly for giving the impression that I was going to spill information you would rather not be repeated. I was only going to reassure him that you told me how much you love him, I thought it would help’.

‘Oh….’ Hermione looked as if she was trying to figure out how to respond. ‘thank you for apologising. Although I could have done without you baiting him in the first place.’

Malfoy nodded at her words while he looked at the large clock at the front of the room. Corridors should be mainly empty, that could either work out very well, or absolutely terribly, depending if his attackers knew where to find him. But at least he was already in the dungeons so the common room wasn’t far away. He doubted Hermione and he could revert back to their previous flirty silence after that scene. He might as well leave.

‘See you round, Nurse Granger’ he winked at her and sauntered out of the room before she could respond.


	6. Arguments and Arithmancy

When her alarm rang the following morning, Hermione groaned and attempted to hit snooze, causing the small clock to whiz around the dorm chirping ‘Wakeup! Wake _up_! _Wakeup_!’ at an increasingly high-pitched volume. She had been so smug when she charmed that clock, but as Parvati swore at Hermione from across the room she deeply regretted not being able to simply remove its batteries.

A well-aimed hex finally saw the alarm fall from the air, unfortunately landing on Fay’s foot. _Great, awake seconds and already pissed off the whole dorm_. It was her own fault, she had stayed up late playing wizard chess with Ron to make up for the scene in the potions lab. _Not that I was even in the wrong_ she mentally huffed. Well, unless you count the stuff she had revealed in truth or dare. Or the omission that she spent a night with Malfoy. Which she _didn’t_. Actually, when she paused to think about it, she had no reason appease Ron. He wasn’t the boss of her. But in the name of friendship she had worked to make him see reason.

Now she was tired, cranky, and running late for Ancient Runes. She would have to skip breakfast and go directly to class.

Professor Babbling quickly explained their task – translating runes found in ancient Mesopotamia – and soon the small class was working in silence. Hermione translated the first section quickly and soon found her eyes wandering around the room. He wasn’t here. Noticing his absence forced Hermione to admit to herself that she had been looking forward to seeing Malfoy. Possibly even hoping that they would continue their silent game of making eye contact ... By the time class ended hunger and disappointment had further tarnished her mood and she decided to use her free period to visit the hospital wing.

Upon entering the ward, Hermione found Madam Pomfrey giving a stern lecture to some first year Hufflepuffs who had managed to turn themselves all the colours of the rainbow. They begged her to be allowed back to lessons but the healer could not be persuaded and forced them all into bed, using a spell to draw the curtains, separating them all from each other.

‘They are medically fine, the spell will wear off before bed, but it doesn’t do to let them get away with silliness in term one, last time I gave first years the benefit of the doubt was the Weasley twins’ Pomfrey told Hermione as they headed towards her office.

‘I was planning on owling you later, to ask if you would assist me this weekend – the Hufflepuff try outs are tomorrow and Gryffindor on Sunday, both in the afternoon so if you could arrive by say 12:30?’ She observed Hermione, realising that the young witch looked slightly perturbed she added ‘of course, if you need to study that’s perfectly understandable’.

Hermione absentmindedly wound a stray curl around her finger as she cast her eye towards the office window which showed most of the main ward. ‘um, no Mad- I mean, thank you Poppy, but I am happy to help out both days. Has – Has there been any notable cases today?’

Madam Pomfrey gave her a knowing look. ‘Not particularly, Mr Malfoy was admitted this morning, someone had hexed him and he had horns sprouting from his forehead but that was a quick fix. He seemed more embarrassed than angry, said he had tried to undo the hex himself unsuccessfully. But no more serious injuries, perhaps whoever was behind the attacks feels he has made his point.’

_Pomfrey saw right through her. Was she that obvious?_ It was probably a good thing she hadn’t seen Malfoy. The last thing she wanted was for _him_ to see her behaving like some lovesick schoolchild. Which was exactly what she was of course. Sighing, and feeling very disappointed in herself, Hermione bid goodbye to Madam Pomfrey and headed to Advanced Arithmancy.

She walked to class without conscious effort. Her feet took her where she needed to go, which was handy as her head was taken up with an internal struggle. One part of her attempted to justify her actions and mood this morning, while another part just replayed her last interaction with Malfoy ‘See you aground, Nurse Granger’ while refusing to consider what it might mean.

Most of her experience flirting was with a very forthright Krum (and a very oblivious Ron) so Hermione was perplexed by Malfoy. Did he have any idea how sexy she found him? Was he actively trying to make her melt or was that just his natural persona? Her thought swam as she arrived to class. The only thing she was sure of was that she was not going to allow this –this _crush_ to affect her work. She was Hermione Granger, Brightest Witch. Time to act like it.

She arrived early and entered the empty classroom, picking a seat at the front and flicked through her notes on last lesson while she waited. A few minutes later Professor Vector greeted her and she heard other students begin to enter. Isobel, a Ravenclaw Hermione didn’t know well took the seat next to her, shooting her a friendly smile. She returned it, but refused to look around the class to see if a certain blond Slytherin had arrived.

‘I assume you all read the first three chapters of Birkett’s new theories of arithmancy, how does this work differ from that of Karuzos?’ Professor Vector eyed the students through her black square rimmed glasses giving them a moment to consider before she picked a student to answer. ‘Mr Malfoy?’ Hermione felt her pulse quicken.

‘Birkett is building on the theories which originated in Ancient Egypt and Rome, whereas Karuzos has founded his basis for research on the Ancient Greek scholars.’ His voice was neutral, neither bored nor excited. But Hermione nevertheless had to repress a fluttering in her stomach.

‘And what are the key differences? … Miss MacDougal?’

The witch next to Hermione outlined the differences, leaving out some rather crucial points. But Professor Vector went on to call on Michael Corner and Sue Li to develop the answer.

‘How convincing do you find Birkett’s theories? … Miss Granger?’

‘The only new points which hold any merit relate to the time frames of future predictions, I find the bulk of the work to be shaky at best, given that the Romans and Egyptians were similar in their approaches, but not perfectly inline meaning that Birkett leaves room for error by combining the two’. Hermione had already read Birkett’s book in its entirety and was confident in her judgement.

Professor Vector nodded, considering her next question, when her eye was drawn to the back of the room. ‘Do you have a comment Mr. Malfoy?’ Hermione’s heart skipped a beat.

‘I think Miss Granger is failing to fully appreciate the section on time frames for predictions. While she is correct that other sections are weaker, the points put forth in chapter 3, which are developed in chapter 6 to 8, are pivotal, raising the standard of the entire work.’ Hermione was sure that if she turned around she would see the trademark Malfoy smirk, she could hear smugness in his voice.

Resolutely keeping her eyes forward Hermione raised her hand and, when Professor Vector gestured for her to respond, she directed her comments to the professor. ‘But considering the work as a whole, given the woolly nature of Birkett’s research in chapters 10 and 12, and the holes in the research more generally, it is a far weaker work than Karuzos’

The lesson continued in this vain. Malfoy seemed to disagree with Hermione on every point, and Hermione was determined to prove him wrong. But no matter how infuriating she found his arguments, Hermione was forced to admit that they did have merit, and were the result of a detailed understanding of the subject. Which, she realised as she felt butterflies in her chest expand, was a massive turn on.

When the bell rang Hermione gave herself a metaphorical pat on the back as she packed up her notes. _Didn’t look at him once. No matter how much I wanted to. I win._ She wasn’t sure what exactly she had won in this little game. _A game_ , she reluctantly admitted to herself, _that might only be in my head_. _He might not be thinking about me at all, and I’ve just over reacted to a couple of looks in a potions lab_.

Turning to head out of the now almost empty classroom, her eyes unexpectedly met a cool grey gaze. He was leaning against his desk looking calm and collected. The exact opposite of how Hermione felt. She momentarily stopped in her tracks in surprise.

‘Granger, I enjoyed hearing your theories today, even if they were a little….’ He paused for a moment, as if trying to find the best term ‘ _basic’_. There was that smirk she had been imagining for the last hour. _Damn, it never used to look hot when he smirked did it_? 

Blazing with indignation Hermione immediately went on the defensive ‘ _Excuse me_? If anything your-‘ she cut off as he chuckled at her.

‘I’m winding you up, you daft bint’ pushing himself off the desk, he gave her an amused look as they started walking towards the door. Hermione had no idea how to respond to this clever and jokey Malfoy.

As they entered the first-floor corridor she tried to adopt a casual tone ‘will you be in the potions lab tomorrow? I am heading down in the morning before my shift with Madam Pomfrey’.

‘Sadly not Granger, tomorrow I have a hot date, do try not to miss me too much’ He gave her a sideways glance, gauging her reaction. So that was it. He was just a natural flirt. He was making it clear that he wasn’t interested. Probably emphasising the _hot_ date to

ensure she wouldn’t spend the term staring at him. Perhaps he even dropped it in to the conversation like this to be nice, give her chance to keep a bit of dignity.

Hermione realised they had stopped walking. ‘I forgot something in class’ she gave what she hoped looked like a normal smile, and doubled back to class before he could respond. She closed the classroom door behind her and leaned heavily against it. A small tear escaped her eye. She was such a _fool_.

That evening they sky above the Great Hall was overcast, occasionally rumbling with distant thunder. Hermione picked at her vegetarian cottage pie without enthusiasm. _Why did they never seem to serve Thai or Mexican_? Always the same dull options she thought to herself.

Harry seemed to notice his friend was not herself, and asked what was wrong, causing a nearby Ron and Neville observe her as well. As she looked up to respond to Harry she noticed Malfoy and Pansy leaving the hall together, looking around as if hoping not to be seen. _Probably off to find a nice secret passage to snog in_.

‘I’m fine’ she plastered a fake smile on her face and stood ‘just thinking about the NEWTs, going to head to the library I think’. Once again, she left before anyone could respond. Instead of the library, Hermione headed to bed sealing the heavy, crimson curtains around her, she tossed and turned for hours before sleep finally took her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus points if you noticed the little reference to ThebeMoon's wonderful 'The Gloriana Set' in the form of the first years with Madam Pomfrey. They won't be appearing again but when thinking about who might be admitted for what they sprang to mind :-)


	7. Malfoy's Hot Date

Hermione paced the small potions lab, restless. The Skelegro which she had put on a timed simmer after Malfoy had left the potions lab earlier in the week had cooled and was ready to use. She planned on adding powdered root of Asphodel to her next brew as her research indicated this might work with the murtlap tentacles to relieve pain. But as she continued to pace, Hermione realised she was not in the correct frame of mind to focus. Bottling the brewed Skelegro to give to Madam Pomfrey, she dropped it into her satchel and left the lab.

Feeling an unusual lack of enthusiasm for studying Hermione decided to go for a walk. The sun was warm for September in Scotland and soon Hermione’s spirits lifted as she headed towards the forbidden forest, planning on walking around its edge before heading toward the lake.

***

Malfoy rubbed at his jaw as he walked, wondering if he could find a spell to heal loose teeth. Looking up he saw Hermione coming towards him across the grass. She seemed to pause for a second as she recognised him, before continuing on the same path. The sunlight hit her curls, giving them an auburn tint. As it was the weekend she was dressed in muggle attire, her pale blue dress was short and printed with tiny white flowers. Small pearly buttons ran down its front, _begging to be undone_ Malfoy thought. She had paired the dress with a long grey cardigan and black boots. It was unusual to see her in a dress, normally she favoured jeans and a hoodie. Malfoy approved whole heartedly of any outfit which showcased her legs. _Although, jeans have the benefit of making her ass look fantastic._ He was still caught up picturing Hermione in various outfits by the time they found themselves face to face.

‘Granger’ he greeted her ‘I thought you would be in the lab this morning, busy curing the common cold or something’.

‘And I thought you had a hot date?’ she regarded him warily, ‘Why are you rubbing your jaw? Has someone hit you?’ Ah, so the _hot date_ phrase had stuck with her then. _Interesting._

‘Actually, for once, nobody has hit me. I thought the Golden Girl would have remembered my reluctant plans for the weekend.’ He moved his hand from his jaw to run it through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes in a practiced move he knew made it look professionally tousled. ‘My date was with Professor Hagrid’ He smiled in amusement as he saw the penny drop.

‘The _dare_. Go for lunch at Hagrid’s be kind, apologise and … he gave you rock cakes, didn’t he?’ the witch started to giggle.

‘Rock cakes and some treacle toffee, my teeth may never recover’ he deadpanned. Hermione’s giggle developed into uncontrollable laughter. Malfoy had never seen her like this before, the sight delighted him. She managed to squeak out ‘rock cakes … might actually _be_ rocks … always feed mine … to Fang’ tears were running down her cheeks as she gasped for breath.

Soon Malfoy was laughing with her as he tried to describe the moment when the toffee had cemented his mouth shut just as Hagrid asked him if he was interested in helping him check the forbidden forest for Blood-Sucking Bugbears. ‘He mistook my attempt to open my jaw as a nod’ he laughed harder ‘so now we are meeting on Thursday evening’.

Hermione was hardly able to stand. Malfoy put out his arm to steady her, and she gratefully held his elbow as she wiped away tears and gradually got her breath back. _He would happily have breakfast, lunch and dinner with Hagrid if it meant making Hermione laugh like this._ Malfoy was surprised by the strength of his conviction. He fancied her yes, but now he wanted to make her laugh?

When they had both recovered themselves Malfoy asked her where she was heading. ‘Just – just wandering really’ she shrugged.

‘Mind if I join you, before I go watch the Hufflepuff’s attempt quidditch?’ He wasn’t ready to end their interaction but wondered if she would want to be seen in his company in public. Blaise and Theo had started to talk to him again now, but things still felt strained between them. But along with Pansy that only made three people in the school who were willing to hang out with him.

To his great relief Hermione nodded quickly, ‘of course, let’s head down to the lake’ she replied, with a warm smile.

***

Contentment which had been eluding Hermione for the last two days had finally made itself known. As she walked in the autumn sunshine next to Malfoy everything suddenly seemed peachy. Their brief silence felt comfortable. _What if it wasn’t comfortable and she just didn’t realise?_ She firmly pushed the thought from her mind. She did have reason to break their taciturnity though.

‘So, how did Hagrid react to your turning up unannounced?’ she asked uncertainly. Malfoy was responsible for Buckbeak’s near death experience after all. Not to mention his father trying to get Hagrid fired.

‘I didn’t go unannounced, I sent him and owl yesterday asking if I could visit in the late morning and explaining that I wanted to apologise. Think he agreed out of curiosity mainly’ Malfoy mused, seeming perfectly willing to fill her in. ‘I took him a bottle of sirenscotch and apologised for being an arrogant, blood purist git for seven years. He was so shocked I think he offered me a rock cake to give him time to consider how to respond. But eventually he shook my hand, and that’s when the toffee was brought out.’ As Malfoy finished speaking he bent to pick up a flat stone on the lakeshore. After turning it in his hand he flicked his wrist and sent it skimming across the lake.

‘Eight bounces, not bad’ Hermione allowed, scanning the shore for her own stone. Watching it bounce twelve times she turned to Malfoy, smug grin on her face.

He arched an eyebrow at her. ‘What? Did you skim it? I wasn’t looking’ 

‘Honestly Malfoy. I got twelve so-‘ she saw his expression. ‘Oh you ass! You were watching’ After that they skimmed stones one at a time, only speaking to note the number of bounces. ‘So… did you mean your apology to Hagrid, or did you just really not want to compliment Harry and Ron on their next quidditch match?’ Hermione kept her eyes on the water continuing to skim as she questioned the wizard. She _needed_ to know the answer. Was there a chance he had changed?

‘Sixteen’ Malfoy noted he next skim and Hermione wondered if he was not going to answer her at all. ‘I was a git. I have seen first-hand the type hatefulness that comes with blood purity and general entitlement and greed… I was wrong about a lot of things. It took me a while to see it, but I’d say by the time the dark lord had moved in, I was… cured of those prejudices.’

Hermione turned to look at him, looking for the truth in his eyes. He met her gaze with an open expression.

Just then they heard a faint whistle signifying the beginning of the Hufflepuff quidditch try outs. ‘Oh shoot, I am late for my shift in the hospital wing, I have to go’. Hermione cursed her luck. This was the most enjoyable afternoon she had experienced in weeks and now she had to leave.

‘I need to take a look at the try outs anyway’ Malfoy shot her a small smile as she set off back towards the castle.

She couldn’t resist turning back before she headed out of view of the lake and was surprised to see Malfoy still standing by the shore, watching her go.


	8. Bedside Manner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malfoy ends up in the hospital ward once again

Saturday’s shift in the hospital wing flew by. Alongside a few broom related incidents, there was also a third year who had ever expanding ears – which Hermione managed to fix just before his earlobes reached his knees, a sixth year who had a love potion backfire and was now proclaiming undying love for Professor Trelawney – antidote brewed and administered, and Neville needed a healing spell after a minor incident with his magical cactus.

‘What time do you finish Hermione?’ Neville asked her as she cast _Ferula_ , bandaging his shoulder. ‘Luna and I are going to a party in the Hufflepuff common room if you want to come with? Most of our house are getting an early night ready for tomorrow quidditch try outs, but it should be fun.’

Hermione promised she would see how she was feeling when she finished her shift, but she wasn’t really sure when that would be. Poppy hadn’t specified what hours she was expected to work. She sent Neville off and ducked into the office to check the supply cupboard. Madam Pomfrey found her a few minutes later, dusting off bottles at the back of shelves which looked like they had been there since Dumbledore was a student.

‘Hermione, it’s almost dinner time. Why don’t you pop down to the Great Hall, have a bit of a rest leave all this for tomorrow?’ While she hated leaving jobs half-finished Madam Pomfrey was adamant so Hermione headed down to dinner. _If I eat quickly I could take some food up to Poppy and finish the tidying._ _Really, they should have more than one healer for a school with this many serious magical injuries_.

When she arrived at the Gryffindor table Hermione found that Ron, Harry and Ginny weren’t back from watching the Hufflepuffs. So, she took a seat next to Parvati and Seamus and joined in as they chatted about the upcoming Hogsmead trip. After demolishing a leak and potato pie in record time, while wishing it was a Thai red curry, she put together a plate for Madam Pomfrey, bid her friends goodbye and headed back to the hospital wing.

She could hear arguing before she even opened the doors to the main ward. ‘But I don’t _need_ to be monitored, if you just give me the medicine I can sort it all out _myself_. You cannot make me spend another _sodding_ night here!’ Malfoy was back in the hospital wing.

Steeling herself for the worst, Hermione opened the doors. She found Malfoy sitting on a hospital bed, keeping his feet on the floor like he was going to leap up at any moment. Theo and Blaise were sitting on either side of him, as if they were expecting him to keel over. Hermione could understand that. His dark green jumper was torn and stained with blood and pus. She could see red welts starting from under his shirt collar and reaching up across his neck.

Blaise eyed her with caution, as if wondering if she was about to threaten him like last time. But Hermione trusted that Malfoy’s friends were trying to do right by him. Instead she looked questioningly at Madam Pomfrey, curious to see how she was going to deal with a clearly injured and angry Malfoy.

Pomfrey noticed the covered plate in Hermione’s hand. ‘Oh, Hermione dear, you brought me dinner? That’s so kind.’ Reaching for the plate she continued ‘While I am eating, if you could just assess Mr Malfoy’s injuries, get any necessary details from his companions before they leave, and see that Mr Malfoy is comfortable for his overnight stay that would be wonderful’. Before Hermione could utter any kind of response the witch had taken her plate and headed to the office, closing the door and the blinds on the windows.

Three Slytherin heads all turned in her direction as Hermione tried to take control of the situation. Malfoy was injured but it didn’t look like life or death. She started with Nott. ‘What happened? Tell me everything’

Nott regarded her with a cool gaze. ‘I was returning from a …romantic liaison and I found Malfoy on the second floor, near the painting of the medieval nuns, knocked out and looking very much like this’ he gestured to his friend’s bloody torso. He came to when I tried to move him. Asked me to take him back to Slytherin House. I was levitating him in that direction when we bumped into Blaise, who insisted he was to come here instead.’

‘Look all I need is a tonic or spell and I –‘

Hermione ignored Malfoy and instead focused on Zabini. ‘Anything to add?’

Zabini looked at Malfoy and let out a heavy sigh. ‘He’s been attacked every day since we got back to Hogwarts. Sometimes it’s a hex he can fix himself, sometimes they have to wear off on their own like vomiting slugs or bat bogey hexes, other times it’s, well, it’s like you saw the other day. _Someone_ ought to be doing something to help the situation… but perhaps it’s only Gryffindors who deserve protection’ he added bitterly.

‘Zabini you have no right to –‘ Malfoy sounded furious.

‘Thank you both, for bringing him here. I will make sure he gets back to Slytherin House once he is healed, you may leave’ Hermione dismissed Nott and Theo, pointedly ignoring Malfoy’s continuous complaints that he didn’t need to be looked after. Only when they had closed the double doors behind them did Hermione finally look at Malfoy.

***

Merlin, Zabini was a dick, there was no need to tell Hermione about all the other attacks. He needed to make her understand that he could handle this without her.

‘I don’t want-‘ he began

‘ _Please_ , Malfoy. It’s been a long afternoon. Just – just let me take a look at the injuries yeah?’ Hermione already had her wand in hand, ready to begin the diagnostic.

_Please, Malfoy_. Damn he could get used to her saying that. In situations where he wasn’t all bloody and gross of course. ‘Very well nurse Granger, I put myself entirely in your hands’ a delicate blush flushed her face but she didn’t look away from him. There really was something to be said for Gryffindor spirit.

After she had run her green tipped wand across his body, noting that it changed to a dark orange near his chest and neck, she verified a couple of things.

‘Self-administered numbing spell to help with the pain?’

‘ _Oui infirmière_ Granger’

Rolling her eyes at his sudden French, she continued ‘Did this hex only hit your front? Is your back okay?’

‘ _C'est correct’_ he smiled at her. Had their shared laughs and walk by the lake only been a few hours ago? It felt more like weeks. Nothing like a top-notch hexing to ruin one’s day.

‘ _Je vais enlever ta chemise_ ’. Her accent wasn’t quite right, but Malfoy wasn’t sure anything had ever sounded as sexy as Hermione Granger telling him, in French, that she was going to remove his shirt. He was willing to do whatever she asked.

‘Very well, I suppose it’s already ruined’ he feigned a sigh as Hermione flicked her wand and his jumper and shirt disappeared. _It would have been nice if the first time she had seen me shirtless I wasn’t covered in pus filled sores and bleeding_ Malfoy reflected. _When life gives you lemons and all that._

***

_Praise Circe_ , even through his injuries Hermione was taken aback by how _fucking fit_ Malfoy was. His slim frame was well muscled and his abs were clearly defined. She was going to have a job focusing on her spellwork. What spell should she even use to fix this? It looked like two different hexes. One delivering angry looking whip-like marks, the other painful boils. Beneath the new injuries she saw what looked like older scar tissue, although it was hard to tell what with the trails of blood.

Raising her eyes to Malfoys face she saw a slightly bemused expression on his features. _Shit, how long had she just been staring at his chest, lost in thought?_ She needed a moment to pull herself together.

‘Can you just lie back on the bed? I am just getting a reference book, I won’t be a second’ she paused ‘please, don’t leave … I’d catch you before you made it to the dungeons.’

Entering the office, she found Poppy Pomfrey with her feet up, reading yesterday’s _Daily Prophet_. She looked up as Hermione entered ‘Have you seen this? Rise in criminal activity in Diagon Alley, didn’t think it could get much worse down that way, glad we don’t live in London I must say.’

Hermione spoke quickly, so as not to leave Malfoy unattended for too long. ‘I have assessed Malfoy’s injuries, I think it’s two spells that did the damage. I just wanted to check if you thought I should focus on removing the spells, or if it’s enough to just cure the injuries, in which case I am not sure if I should use a potion or counter-spell… perhaps you want to check? Let me know what you think is best?’ Hermione was keen to have someone else there when she treated Malfoy, lest she embarrass herself either by shoddy spellwork or drool.

‘Here take this, pages 54-58 deal with the hexes I believe Mr Malfoy received’ Madam Pomfrey handed her a slim volume titled _One Hundred_ _Horrible Hexes and How to Handle Them_. ‘The most effective counter spells are in there, follow them up with Miss Mercy’s Extra Strength Pain Relief Lotion and he should be fine’ She handed over the familiar green jar. ‘The other patients have been given sleeping draught and should be out until morning, so if it’s okay with you I think I’ll turn in … I will leave it to you to decide if Mr Malfoy requires monitoring through the night’ Poppy gave her a confident smile as Hermione struggled to find a reason for the healer to stay. Pomfrey was out the door before she could come up with anything.

Heading back to Malfoy, book and jar in hand, Hermione repeated _professionalism at all times_ in her head like a mantra. At least he hadn’t tried to make a break for it.

The first spell Hermione tried seemed to aggravate the red welts, but did removed the sores. Malfoy hissed in pain. ‘Sorry, sorry!’ she apologised as she quickly re-read page 57 of her book. The next two spells she tried both seemed to make things worse.

‘Bloody hell Granger, if your plan is to off me, there _are_ quicker ways!’ Malfoy was biting his lip in pain. _Fuck_ , she was messing this up royally. Deciding that if this next spell failed too, she would go and get Madam Pomfrey from… _shit, she actually had no idea where Madam Pomfrey slept._ Well, she would find her regardless. She took a deep breath and cast a spell suggested on page 58. Malfoy signed in relief, shoulders relaxing back down onto the bed. The marks had lessened considerably, but hadn’t disappeared entirely.

‘Has the pain decreased?’ she asked hopefully.

‘It’s gone, Nurse Granger saves the day once more’ Malfoy’s eyes were closed but he was smiling. She still wasn’t used to seeing him smile, but she liked it, _a lot_.

Reaching for the green jar, Hermione instructed Malfoy to stay still and prayed to Merlin he might keep his eyes closed so she could assess his body unobserved. Starting at his neck she began to gently rub the lotion against pink skin, watching it gradually go back to its normal pale colour. His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed, but glancing at his eyes she was reassured to see they were still closed.

‘I’m going to – to start on your shoulders and chest now’ Hermione’s voice hitched on the word _chest_ and she felt her cheeks flame. She couldn’t look at his face. _What if he was watching her? Seeing lust written all over her features? But how could she stand not knowing if he was looking at her?_ She peeked another look at his face. Eyes still closed. _Okay, she could do this_.

Her fingers began working on his right shoulder, as the skin healed she discerned the scaring underneath. Her methodical application of lotion was forgotten as she traced the pattern left by the scaring. ‘ _Sectumsempra_ ’ Malfoy answered her unasked question without looking at her.

‘It was – Harry said- said it was a brutal curse. Snape didn’t remove the scaring?’ her hand had reached his chest now, _he’s so solid, like pale marble_ Hermione bit her lip.

Malfoy shifted position slightly, linked his hands behind his head and looking as utterly relaxed as his abs rippled faintly. ‘It was all he could do to stop me bleeding out, afraid I am stuck with the scars. But luckily my charming personality more than makes up for the lost looks.’ Opening his eyes, he grinned wickedly at Hermione and she couldn’t help a small laugh escaping her lips.

‘Don’t worry Malfoy, even with the scars you could charm people with more than just your personality’ the words were out of her mouth before she had fully considered them.

‘Granger, did you just imply that I have a hot body?’ his tone was amused and slightly bewildered. She was not going to look at his face. She was an _idiot_.

‘Stop putting me off, I am trying to focus here. I still have work to do.’ She tried to channel her inner McGonagall and sound authoritative. Eyes fixed on his stomach, now the only area still bearing marks from the most recent attack. He had a trail of dark blond hair starting at his belly button and disappearing under the waistband of his trousers. Holding her breath, Hermione’s hands applied the lotion gradually lower. Malfoy let out a small noise from the back of his throat.

‘Is-Did I hurt you?’ Hermione froze, eyeing at his expression and unsure of what she was seeing.

‘No’ he gave her an intense look ‘I just very much enjoy your bedside manner nurse Granger; a wizard might even get the wrong idea.’ _Gods, this was flirting wasn’t it? Like, no way to misread this. Draco Malfoy was flirting with her._ Hermione was very aware that her hand was still on his stomach, very close to his belt. 

‘What impression would that be?’ She sounded breathless. _She felt breathless_.

Sitting up straight in the small hospital bed, Malfoy reached towards Hermione’s flushed face. He wound a loose curl around his fingers and gently tugged her closer. ‘That you liked him, that you perhaps had thought about …’ Her face was now only inches away from his, she could feel his breath on her cheek.

‘Thought about…?’ she echoed in barely more than a whisper.

His hand let go of her hair and cupped her cheek. He suddenly looked unsure, apprehensive ‘Hermione, I –‘

She brought her lips crashing down onto his. His use of her given name, the first time he had _ever_ done that, had assuaged her fear. Their kiss was not gentle, Hermione had never felt such a blaze of passion. Their tongues collided as Hermione dug her fingers into Malfoy’s bare chest and he moved his hand from her cheek to grab the hair the base of her skull. The feel of his fingers was divine and Hermione moaned into his mouth. Malfoy responded with a low groan and wrapped his other arm around her waist, drawing her closer. So quickly Hermione wondered if she had accidentally used a non-verbal spell, she found herself on the bed, straddling the beautiful, shirtless wizard. She could feel heat between her legs and was sure her knickers were ruined.

Given their height difference even though Hermione was on top of Malfoy, she didn’t have to bend her head to kiss him. _He was so tall_. As his mouth continued to explore hers he stroked her neck and then let his hands fall to her ribs, just below her breasts. Hermione’s nipples had pebbled under her dress and she wiggled in frustration, trying to hint silently at what she wanted. Her movement caused her to suddenly feel Malfoy’s hard length against her core. _Fuck, he felt huge_. They both gasped in surprise and desire, breaking their kiss to take in each other’s expression. Without breaking eye contact, Hermione slowly repeated the movement and Draco thrust his hips to meet hers.

‘ _Gods,_ Grange _r’_. He was looking at her in wonder. _He wants me as much as I want him_. Hermione’s heart pounded as Malfoy trailed open mouthed kisses down her neck, one hand reaching for the buttons on her dress. ‘Can I..?’ he paused his kisses to check her reaction.

‘Please, _please_ Malfoy _’_ She wouldn’t have cared if he had ripped the damn dress off her, she wanted to be closer to him. This fabric was getting in the way. His hand swiftly and skilfully undid her top few buttons in an instant. He paused to take in her white lace bra. _Finally, he was going to touch her._ Hermione felt as if the smallest stimulation might send her over the edge.

But just at that moment raised voices could be heard coming towards them from the corridor outside the ward. ‘ _Shit, shit, shit’_ Hermione scrambled from Malfoy’s lap suddenly noticing that the curtains hadn’t even been pulled around his bed. 

Phrases were filtering through the wooden doors as the people in the corridor neared.

‘Bigoted snakes …’

‘…Self-righteous jackass’ 

Hermione had just finished doing up the buttons on her dress when the doors to the ward were wrenched open by a very pissed off looking Ron and Pansy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't ever written a steamy snogging scene before, all feedback welcome!


	9. Guilty Conscience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione avoids Malfoy, feeling guilty over their kiss.

Malfoy took in the look of shame on Hermione’s flushed face. _She might as well tattoo what they had been up to on her forehead_. In an attempt to give her a few moments more to compose herself, Malfoy turned the attention to himself. ‘Evening Pansy’ he greeted her as casually as if he had bumped into her in the library instead of being a hospital bed shirtless, with a waning erection.

Pansy ignored Hermione as she hurried to his side, ‘ _Shit_ , I am going to find these cowards and cut their fucking balls off’ her dark eyes glimmered with anger. She paused, scanned his body ‘Wait, what exactly is wrong with you? Blaise said it was bad, all blood and pus, but you look…fine?’

‘Granger sorted me right out, much better now’ _crap, that sounded like an innuendo_. He glanced at Hermione to see her face even redder, she seemed to be avoiding Weasley’s eyes. _I wonder if she will tell him she cheated or just pretend it never happened?_ _Gryffindor spirit, she’ll probably tell him. I needed yet another reason to fear for my safety._ Malfoy fought an irritated sigh. He couldn’t bring himself to regret that kiss, no matter what the consequences. Continuing to try and detract attention from Hermione, Malfoy returned his attention to the worried looking Slytherin. ‘So, Blaise and Theo told you were I was? But what unfortunate events caused you to arrive with the least talented Weasley?’

The barb seemed to put Pansy somewhat at ease, him making fun of Ron was familiar territory for all of them. She sneered at the ginger wizard ‘We were leaving the Great Hall at the same time, he overheard the guys tell me where you were, then suddenly decided to visit his _golden girl_ ’. She rolled her eyes ‘Like he was worried you might attack her or something, even though you are clearly the _attacked_ party here.’

‘Oi, I have every right to visit ‘Mionie’ he looked indignantly at Pansy, before focusing on Hermione ‘I just wanted to see how you were, Pomfrey has you working long hours, though you might need a break?’ he gave a small shrug, smiling at her in what he probably thought was an endearing manner. _Merlin did Hermione actually fall for this obvious shite?_

Hermione finally found her voice ‘Ah, well, Madam Pomfrey wants Malfoy to overnight but-‘

Pansy interrupted forcefully ‘He doesn’t need to overnight – look at him, he’s clearly alright now.’ Ron simultaneously argued against Hermione needing to stay in the hospital wing any longer with Malfoy. Pansy’s voice dominated Ron’s. ‘I am going to take him back to Slytherin, where people actually look out for one another’ Pansy glared at Hermione, as if spoiling for a fight.

‘Okay’

Three sets of eyes looked at Hermione with surprise.

‘He can go back to Slytherin’ she wasn’t looking at Malfoy, nor was she speaking directly to him. _Fuck, he had hoped they might get a chance to discuss what had happened._ Clearly, she didn’t want to. Instead she opened the cupboard in the bedside table, pulling out a hospital gown. ‘you can transfigure this into a shirt’ she looked somewhere over his left shoulder as she held out the garment.

‘It’s fine, I have one of your jumpers’ Pansy opened her bag producing a dark blue v neck that Malfoy remembered her nicking from him the other evening when she was cold in the common room. He was pretty sure taking the jumper would be taken as a rejection of Hermione’s help by both witches, but he didn’t reckon he had much of a choice. He dressed quickly, muttering his thanks to Pans, who was smiling broadly, and jumped off the bed.

‘Weasley, Granger’ he nodded at both of them, finding he didn’t have the mental energy to even say anything annoying to the ginger as he departed with Pans.

***

Hermione felt like a dementor had crept into the room, sucking out any happiness and leaving her feeling like a total garbage human. _What had she been thinking kissing Malfoy?_ She wasn’t exactly a fan of Pansy, and she knew she bore equal responsibility for the kiss as he did… _if not more_. But he was the one with a long-term girlfriend. _The kind of girlfriend who possesses items of his clothing for fucks sake._ She thought he had changed, but, unbidden her thoughts dredged up a memory of conversation with Ginny two summers ago. ‘Once a cheater, always a cheater’ she had proclaimed in a singsong voice while they considered whether the lead singer of rock band _Toil and Trouble_ would ever settle down.

Absentmindedly Hermione had begun to tidy by hand rather than using her wand. Trying not to dwell on the earthshattering kiss she had just shared with a cheater.

‘Made for each other, those two’ Ron eyed the door that the Slytherins had just exited.

‘Sorry?’ Hermione was confused as to Ron’s train of thought. _Was he happy for them or something?_

‘Just, they are so alike, both deceitful snakes.’ Hermione made non-committal noises as her friend continued ‘of course Malfoy always was going to end up with a sacred twenty-eight slag. Probably couldn’t get it up unless the girl can provide documents of pureblood family linage back to the 17th century’ he smiled expectantly at her.

Hermione couldn’t help looking at the vacated hospital bed, where, just minutes ago, she had felt very convincing evidence to the contrary. Remembering the taste of his lips and how she had begged him to touch her _please Malfoy. Gods what would have happened if his girlfriend and Ron hadn’t interrupted them?_ Shame settled like a rock in her stomach.

‘Let’s go back to Gryffindor, shall we?’ she suggested, briskly leading the way. She needed to put as much distance between her and Malfoy as possible.

***

_Hermione was locked in the library after dark as Malfoy approached her from the shadows. ‘Show me you can be a good girl Hermione. Beg.’ His voice was low and commanding._

_‘Please, please Malfoy, please touch me’ her response was instant and unashamed as he backed her up against a bookshelf._

_‘That’s it, such a good girl Hermione. Now tell me where you want to be touched’ he traced his thumb lightly over her mouth while his other hand inched up her thigh. And under her skirt…_

‘Granger!’ Hermione awoke with a yelp to find someone lightly shaking her. Her eyes darted around the room, looking for life threatening danger.

‘Shit, sorry Hermione, it sounded like you were having a nightmare. Are you okay?’ Parvati looked at her with concern. ‘Was it a flashback? Sometime I have them… reliving the battle and stuff’

‘I – no, I just… I don’t remember what I was dreaming’ she lied to her friend. ‘Thank you, for looking out for me’.

‘Well,’ Parvati said, going back to her dresser to finish doing her make up, ‘Maybe you should rest up today? Give yourself a break?’

_What I need is a break from Malfoy_. She didn’t know how she would look him in the eyes. Slipping breakfast Hermione arrived at the hospital wing earlier than planned and asked Madam Pomfrey if, instead of administering spells and potions to any injured students, she could read through the files from the last two weeks ‘to gain an overview of the most common injuries and treatments, make sure I understand all the basics’. The excuse sounded weak to her own ears but Madam Pomfrey agreed that she could work in the office. Each time someone entered the ward Hermione peaked through the gap in office blinds, but it was never Malfoy. The only quidditch injury was Cormac, who complained that a quaffle had attacked him out of nowhere. Pomfrey fixed his cracked rib in record time and sent him on his way.

The research turned out to be both informative and saddening. When Poppy checked in on her Hermione commented ‘There are so many cases of anxiety attacks, self-harm, depression, PTSD. What spells or potions specifically help with these?’

‘well a sleeping draught can help in the short term, but short of memory charms it is rather difficult.’ The healer looked frustrated, and quite tired. ‘Perhaps those muggle books on PTSD you were talking about could help us?’

Hermione was elated at how quickly Poppy had come to treat her as a colleague instead of a student. She was determined, finding a way to ease the pain of these students was the most important thing she could be doing with her time. Before heading to the common room evening Hermione sent an owl to Professor McGonagall requesting a meeting.

***

Normally she preferred to study in the library rather than the common room. Madam Pince would never allow students to set off indoor fireworks from Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes or eat sweets which caused them to emit loud animal sounds. But she might run into Malfoy at the library, something she very much wanted to avoid. So, she had set a disillusionment charm in a corner of the common room and a reverse _muffliato_ to help her ignore the general madness of most of her fellow Gryffindors, _who clearly haven’t been given enough homework this early in the year_ she thought grumpily.

Immersed in her research by the time Hermione stretched and looked about her, she was surprised to see the fire had dwindled glowing embers and there was only one other person still in the room.

‘Harry, everything okay?’ Her friend was sitting in a large armchair, with scrolls and books surrounding him and a frown etched onto his face.

‘Mionie, Jesus, how long have you been there?’ He asked, clearly startled.

She smiled, magicking her work into her satchel and approaching the armchair. ‘A while, disillusionment charm’ she explained. ‘What are you working on?’

Harry explained that his DADA classes were a bit more of a challenge than expected. ‘the first years seem to think they don’t need to know anything since I got rid of Voldemort, and they just keep asking me for stories of the battles. The second years don’t even know the basics and I have checked the textbooks; do you realise we didn’t cover half the stuff we were supposed to in our first two years?’ His glasses started to slide down his nose as he ran a hand through his dark hair in frustration.

‘Well, yes, I think Quirrell was a bit preoccupied having Voldemort live in the back of his head. And Lockhart was just an asinine pillock wasn’t he?’ Hermione settled on an adjacent burgundy chair, pulling a textbook towards her. ‘Let me help…’

After forty minutes they had planned Harry’s next three lessons and he was smiling broadly. Having relaxed himself, Harry seemed to realise something was a little off with his friend. ‘Wanna talk about whatever is on your mind, Hermione?’ His green eyes showed his mild concern.

_Draco Malfoy kissed me so good that I lost all sense of self, and now I feel guilty because he is obviously just a player willing to cheat on his girlfriend and may be laughing with Nott and Zabini about how he can have any girl he wants, including me._

Hermione smiled involuntarily imagining the shock in Harry’s face if she told him what was on her mind. ‘I just… the healer training has given me lots to think about. Those attacks on Malfoy are pretty brutal, lots of students are suffering…’ she shrugged, wishing she could simultaneously keep an eye on Malfoy and avoid him. ‘Harry? Can I borrow the Marauder's Map?’ she asked suddenly. _That would be perfect!_ She could track who was near him and make sure she didn’t see him unless she absolutely had to.

Harry looked at her thoughtfully. ‘You planning on looking out for Malfoy? I don’t know if it’s a good idea for you to get caught up in his problems Hermione’ she looked at him, ready to argue her point but he continued ‘However I trust your judgement, and I can lend you the map, I just need to get it back off Ron – he wanted to sneak down to the kitchens for an after curfew snack a few days ago….let me know if you need help okay?’

Hermione thanked Harry and went to bed feeling hopeful that she might be able to kill two birds with one stone. If she found out who was hurting Malfoy then he wouldn’t constantly appear in the hospital wing needing her attention.

***

The following morning her good mood was halted by the news that Filch had confiscated the map from Ron. ‘He caught me on the way back from the kitchens’ Ron told his friends looking sheepishly over his breakfast.

‘Honestly, you’re a total moron’ Ginny rolled her eyes at her brother ‘what is the point in taking the sodding map if you don’t use it to check for Filch?’ Ron started to explain how he had been distracted by eating some bread pudding but something else had clearly occurred to Ginny ‘Harry and I use that map to sneak into empty classrooms after curfew, you have just made my life so much more frustrating Ronald!’

Harry’s ears reddened slightly at Ginny’s words. Ron pulled a revolted face ‘urgh, I so do not want to know what you two get up to in empty classrooms’. Bickering continued around Hermione but she was focusing on the more immediate problem of avoiding Malfoy without a map. She needed a plan.

Hermione turned up late to every lesson she shared with Malfoy so she could find a seat at the back of the room away from him, and was out the door the moment the bell rang. She avoided the library and sat with her back to the Slytherin table during meals. Poppy hadn’t requested her help during the week and she assumed Malfoy was either not being attacked, or more likely, not going to the hospital wing. She got through three days without once seeing his face once.

Thursday was trickier. She was due to spend double potions in her and Malfoy’s private lab. Instead she offered to help Slughorn’s class with their potions, telling the professor she would go to the lab afterwards. The potions master was only too happy to let Hermione assist, while he sat at his desk penning a letter to the _Daily Prophet_ in response to some recent article ‘Barnabas Cuffe, Editor in Chief was part of the old Slug Club you know…’ he had told Hermione proudly.

Harry and Ron were only too happy to have Hermione’s help rescuing their third attempt at Polyjuice potion, and she found herself laughing more than she had all week as they narrowly avoided setting lacewing flies loose round the room.

The Slytherin quidditch try outs were scheduled for that evening so Malfoy wouldn’t be in the lab. Hermione had pre-emptively owled Madam Pomfrey crying off helping with quidditch injuries, heavily implying that Slughorn had requested her help instead.

As she approached the lab in the late afternoon Hermione was itching to get started on some new experimental potions. Her improved Skelegro would be ready to try and she had been thinking about how she might attempt a cream to help remove magical scars. Not having ‘mudblood’ carved on her arm would be a welcome change.

The excitement drained out of her when she entered the lab and realised Malfoy was at his desk, reading an ancient looking yellow parchment.

***

As he looked up, Malfoy saw the smile fall from the witches’ face, her eyes darting to the door she had just entered through as if considering leaving immediately. He was going to have a job getting her to stay.

‘What’s the matter Granger? Worried you can’t trust yourself in such a confined and private space with me?’ he gave her is trademark smirk, knowing she usually couldn’t resist answering him when he was being insufferably smug.

‘Why aren’t you at quidditch try outs?’ she responded, ignoring his comment and staying put close to the door.

Sighing, Malfoy dropped the act ‘I just wanted chance to speak with you alone, I changed the try outs to tomorrow’.

It seemed like her Gryffindor courage had returned. Hermione gave a small, resigned nod and took a seat on the opposite side of the lab table to Malfoy. He had spent so much time trying to get Hermione alone this week he hadn’t actually figured out what he wanted to say to her. The silence dragged on as they both looked uncertainly at the other.

‘Did you tell her?’

‘Did you tell him?’

They had spoken at the same time, and now eyed each other warily.

‘Did I tell Pansy do you mean? No, I didn’t think she would take it very well. But more importantly, did you tell Potter … or Weasley? Because he has been sending me some scathing looks, but that’s standard at this point so I can’t tell’ Malfoy feigned a careless attitude but he had been trying to avoid both Harry and Ron in the corridors just in case. _Which wasn’t that hard as he was already trying to avoid the 99% of people at Hogwarts who hated him_ he reflected.

‘No, it’s really none of their business’ she shrugged slightly not quite meeting his gaze.

‘Well maybe not Potter’s’ Malfoy conceded ‘But I sort of thought your gallant Gryffindor honour would have forced you to tell Weasley… maybe you have a bit of Slytherin self-preservation after all?’ he raised his eyebrows at her.

‘Malfoy…’ Hermione said slowly, realisation dawning ‘I am not dating Ron, you know that, right?’

_Was Hermione Granger telling him that she was single? She hadn’t cheated on her boyfriend?_ For a moment Malfoy felt jubilant before he realised what that meant, _she wasn’t ashamed to have cheated, just ashamed about kissing him._

‘Wait, what about when we played truth or dare and I asked you about …’ Malfoy was trying to recall the conversation when Hermione had told him Ron was ‘unfulfilling’ _had she actually used the present tense or had he just assumed?_

‘We tried dating after the war. It didn’t last a month’ Hermione was fiddling with her silver bracelet rather than looking at Malfoy. He looked down at her hands and thought about how they had dug into his chest as she kissed him. _Well if she doesn’t have a boyfriend maybe it could happen again?_ She might be ashamed, but there was a spark between them that Malfoy had never felt with another witch.

He stood and was around the desk standing in front of Hermione a few quick strides. She hastily stood to face him, back against the desk looking guarded and straightening her spine in an attempt to seem taller. Malfoy placed one hand on the desk on either side of her body, caging her in. Her breath hitched as she looked up at him. _Fuck he wanted her, right here in the lab._ Very slowly, he bent his head towards hers, eyes focused on her mouth.

‘Stop.’ Her voice was firm and Malfoy immediately drew back, removing his hands from the desk and stepping away from her. ‘Malfoy I will _not_ be some – some _mistress_ ’ she sounded angry and hurt ‘do you really think I would want to be your _bit on the side_?’ 

Malfoy was momentarily dumbfounded. ‘Pansy is my best friend Granger, we dated in sixth year, but I have known her all my life. She- she’s like family to me. But she is _not_ my girlfriend…she’s just been looking out for me.’

He had hardly finished his sentence when Hermione grabbed his green and silver tie, pulling his face towards hers so she could kiss him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay tuned as things heat up between Draco and Hermione in the next chapter.


	10. Tell me what you want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pure smut.

Their lips met with a tenderness that hadn’t been there in the hospital wing. Malfoy set a languid pace has he caught Hermione’s bottom lip gently between his teeth. Hermione had let go of his tie in order to reach up and wrap her arms round his neck, one hand in his hair. He tasted like mint and something else, something slightly sweet and citrusy that Hermione thought might just be _him_.

Malfoy caressed her face with one hand, his thumb stroking her cheek and the dream she had of them in the library flashed across her mind. She needed _more_. She tugged his hair and pushed herself more firmly against his chest. Sensing what she wanted, Malfoy reacted immediately, moving his hands to her ribs he lifted her onto the potions desk, putting them at an almost equal height. He nudges her knees apart so he is standing between them as he continues to kiss her.

The whole world had melted away to just the touch and taste of Malfoy. _This feels absolutely right, righter than anything since… before the war_. Hermione is dimly aware of this one coherent thought before she feels Malfoy’s hands move to her hips, gradually untucking her shirt from her skirt. When his cool fingers graze her waist Hermione can’t help the little sign that escapes her lips. _More, more, more_ need whizzes around her brain, excitement making her breathless. With excruciating slowness, she feels his hands rise to her ribs as his lips graze the corner of her mouth before training soft kisses down her neck. _This. Is. Torture._ Hermione feels the tension build in her sacrum, rising up until she feels like she might burst.

Malfoy removed one of his hands from her ribs to brush her curls away from her neck, allowing his lips more access to her skin when Hermione reaches her limit. ‘ _Malfoy_ ’ his name fell from her lips in a pleading voice.

At the sound of his name Malfoy pulls away just enough to look at her face, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth ‘yes, Hermione?’

_My name sounds so good coming out of his mouth._ For a moment Hermione struggled to remember what she had wanted. _More, more, more_ drums in her head. ‘please Malfoy, I need … more’ she swallows as she feels her cheeks heat. She has never felt like this before, never asked a boy to give her more. She feels _wanton_ as she meets his eyes.

‘More?’ he asks, raising one eyebrow, a wicked glint in his eyes which almost covered his excitement. ‘In that case, you are going to have to be a good girl, and tell me exactly what you want Hermione’.

‘I… I don’t, I mean, I haven’t… I… Hermione stumbles over her words, her Gryffindor courage crumbling. _What if I ask for the wrong thing? What if I misread the situation?_ She suddenly feels vulnerable.

Her mind flashed back to the few times she was intimate with Ron. They didn’t talk about what they wanted or what they liked. Fumbling hands, some awkward moments, and both of them feeling a bit embarrassed. At times she had felt like she was aroused despite Ron rather than because of him. She had wondered if that was normal. Ron had kissed her and held her as they professed their love for each other and she was left in no doubt that he cared. But there was no passion, no burning desire. It had been such a relief when they decided their friendship was more important than a relationship. 

Hermione refocused on the wizard in front of her to find Malfoy giving her a thoughtful look ‘Have you never talked about this stuff before?’ his fingers on her ribs make small, slow circles on her skin as he waits for her response.

She shakes her head looking down and, biting her lip. _He’s probably shagged half of Slytherin_ , _he is bound to realise I don’t have the foggiest idea how to do this properly._ She wonders suddenly if the moment is passing. If he will call the whole thing off, remembering that he hated her for years, and come to his senses.

Malfoy tilts her chin gently so she is forced to look at him. He holds her gaze for a long moment ‘Hermione, I have not been able to stop thinking about you since that night in the hospital, I mean, _fuck_ I haven’t really stopped thinking about you since you barged into my train compartment looking for Longbottom’s toad on our first train to Hogwarts, but since that night? I would happily give my entire Gringotts vault just to kiss you again. You are the most enchanting witch there is. I don’t – I don’t mind what we do, or when, or how, but I would very, _very_ much like to keep finding myself alone with you’ Malfoy paused, trying to gauge her reaction.

Courage restored, Hermione grined at him ‘So, when should I expect your Gringotts vault to be put into my name then?’

‘ _Seductress_ ’ he growls playfully at her as he takes her head in both of his hands and kisses her deeply.

This time Hermione pulls away. Looking him in the eye, she slowly starts to unbutton her untucked shirt. ‘Malfoy’ she says, watching him swallow as he tries not to break eye contact, ‘I would very much like you to touch me - here’ she looks down at her chest. Shirt now fully undone her white lacey bra on display. Before she can feel embarrassed or self-conscious Malfoy puts his hands on her shoulders, slowly pushing the shirt down her arms, and off. Hermione shivers in anticipation as Malfoy bends his head and kisses her shoulder before moving his lips unhurriedly to her clavicle.

Hermione’s heart is pounding and she breathes deeply, causing her chest to rise and fall noticeably. ‘Now, now Granger, just relax’ he hardly moves his lips from her skin as he teases her, whispering kisses on her sternum. Clenching her thighs Hermione becomes aware of how _wet_ she feels. Her knickers are soaked, and the realisation turns her on even more. She sighs softly, resigning herself to Malfoy’s leisurely pace. _It feels liberating to let someone else take control_ she realises through her haze of desire. 

Continuing his mouths journey to her other shoulder Malfoy hooks his fingers around her bra straps pushing them from her shoulders so they hang loosely on her arms. Then _finally_ , his hand is on her lace covered breasts, pinching her nipple through the fabric. He raises his head to kiss her lips, and Hermione opens her mouth at once, allowing his tongue access to hers as she moves her hands along his biceps. With one fluid motion Malfoy has undone her bra clasp and whisked the bra from her body and onto the desk beside her.

‘ _Gods_ , Hermione’ he breaks their kiss to take in the half naked witch. Unable to draw it out for a moment longer Malfoy bends his head once more, running his tongue over her breast, alternating between light sucks and bites while his other hand rolls her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, pinching enough to make Hermione gasp.

Hermione feels her pussy walls clench with need and she wraps her legs around Malfoys waist pulling him closer to her core. _Thank Circe for tall potions_ _desks_ she thinks as she feels Malfoy’s hard on against her. This causes Malfoy to halt his assault on her breasts as he moans, allowing her to pull his chest roughly against hers.

The friction of his school jumper against her hard nipples feels exquisite but Hermione is soon distracted by Malfoy’s hands, which are stroking the outside of her thighs.

‘Gotta say Granger, you really know how to get a guys attention. Having your thighs wrapped around my waist, let’s just say you are bringing a fantasy to life for me right now.’ As he speaks his hands reach Hermione’s pleated skirt, where he pauses giving her a questioning look.

‘Don’t stop’ she has no fear of telling him what she wants now, she thinks she might explode if he would just press his hard length against her knickers ‘I want to know how your fantasy plays out’

***

_I am going to cum in my trousers at this rate_. Malfoy continued to move his hands up Hermione’s thighs as tried to recall the First Chapter of _Advanced Potion Making_ from memory in order to take his mind of his rock-hard cock. _Just focus on the her, shit she might some to her senses about fooling around with the most hated wizard in school at any point. Must make this count._

His fingers had reached the top of her legs, hitting the edge of her knickers at her hips. Hermione biting her lip in anticipation was the most erotic thing he had ever seen. Her legs were still wrapped around him but he drew back slightly so he could look at her as he kept one hand on her hip, moving the other ever so gently under her skirt.

‘ _Fuck_ Granger, you have ruined your underwear’ Hermione gasped, either at his words, or the feel of his fingers casually touching her core through the sopping cotton. She was trembling with need. He was going enjoy every second of making her come, wanting it to last, but sensing how close she must be already.

Fingers continuing to trace faintly across her knickers Malfoy leaned his head towards Hermione’s, lips brushing her ear he whispered ‘tell me what you want Hermione, what do you want me to do to you?’

Hermione shuffled her hips forward on the desk, trying to increase the pressure of his fingers. ‘Use your words Granger, be a good girl’ he bit her earlobe gently as he waited for her to respond.

‘I want’ she moaned as his fingers slowly circled her clit through her underwear. ‘I need, I need to come, please touch me, put your fingers inside me’. At this Malfoy could feel the pre-cum leak from his swollen cock, restrained in his trousers.

He couldn’t hold back any longer, he was dying to see her climax. Roughly he pushed his hand inside her knickers, his thumb hitting her clit as his fingers lined up with her dripping entrance. Hermione moaned ‘ _please_ ’ and he thrust two fingers into her pussy. Her walls clenched tightly around him immediately. _Gods, fucking her would feel amazing_. Malfoy moved his thumb up and down on her bundle of nerves as he curled his fingers inside her.

‘ _yes…please… there… oh… mmm’_ Hermione’s words continued to devolve into sounds of desire and he could feel her orgasm building.

‘Hermione, look at me’ he demanded. Her eyes opened and focused on his face. ‘Hermione, you did so well, telling me what you wanted, now I want something’ Malfoy moved his thumb faster, his long fingers buried in her wet heat. ‘come for me, Hermione. Let me see you come’.

Hermione’s orgasm overtook her almost before he finished speaking. He felt her pulse around his fingers as her thighs shook. And she kept eye contact with him unashamedly throughout. _Fuck, she was a goddess_.

***

When she had recovered from the most intense orgasm of her life Hermione noted the expression on Malfoy’s face was rather awestruck. She had never felt more beautiful. He drew his fingers out of her and looked at them. Moving them apart they watched her juices stretch between them. Her cheeks flamed, _god I have never been that wet before, I didn’t even know I could get that wet_. But before she could question whether or not Malfoy was bothered by this he had popped his fingers into his mouth, sucking them clean.

‘Next time, Granger, I am going to taste you properly’.

Before she could respond a loud bell rang, signalling dinner time in the Great Hall. Hermione felt reluctant to leave. Where did they stand with each other now? They were both single, _thank Merlin_ , but what did the events of the afternoon mean?

‘Shall we go up to the hall then?’ she asked.

‘Well, you might want to consider dressing… I am sure nobody would mind looking at your glorious tits but still…’ he smiled at her as she laughed and stuck her tongue out at him, putting her bra and shirt back on. Malfoy seemed to read her mind as she picked up her wand. ‘You better not be planning on _scourgifying_ those knickers’ she paused and gave him a confused luck. ‘I would rather know you had a reminder of our afternoon as you sat through dinner on the other side of the hall’.

‘I couldn’t! What if someone noticed?’ Hermione looked mildly panicked. ‘Besides I am not likely to forget this day _ever_.’

‘No? Well in that case… I suppose I can let you off. I certainly won’t forget this, in fact, I think I’ll be skipping dinner to have some quality time with this memory immediately’. He kissed her cheek and stepped out of the room before Hermione could gather her thoughts.

_Had Malfoy just told her he was going to go masturbate thinking about what they had just done? She should have done something for him as well._ And she still hadn’t worked out where they stood. Feeling uncertain but more relaxed than she could remember being, Hermione headed to the Great Hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haven't ever written anything like this before - which is why it took me a bit longer to post an update, apologies. Please let me know what you thought!


	11. Silent Distractions

The following morning Hermione was wide awake before the sun had risen. She had no idea what it would be like to see Malfoy in the Great Hall at breakfast after what had transpired yesterday. _When I came all over his fingers on the potions desk._ She felt herself blush as nervous excitement rose in her chest.

As she showered her thoughts continued to replay the events in the potions room. The look on Malfoy’s face when he licked his fingers, wet from her cunt. _‘Next time Granger, I am going to taste you properly’_ Would he? She wasn’t sure how it would feel. Ron had never suggested doing that and she had no desire to make him do something he didn’t want to. But it sure seemed like Malfoy might enjoy it. As she stood under the water, letting it rise the last of the conditioner out of her thick hair, Hermione closed her eyes and allowed one hand to trail down her stomach …

Just then there was a knock on the bathroom door. ‘Hermione, do you mind if I get in there? I need to see Trelawney before breakfast, I think I had a prophetic dream!’ Parvati called through the wood.

Sighing, Hermione left the shower unsatisfied.

***

The Gryffindor breakfast table was consumed with chatter about the Slytherin quidditch trials that afternoon. ‘Making last minute changes to the day of the trials, think the death eater git has something up his sleeve?’ Dean asked the group as he finished his bacon sandwich.

‘It won’t matter what he’s planning, he won’t stand a chance against us’ Ginny proclaimed fiercely. Hermione hardly listened to the continued speculation as she tried to watch the doorway for Malfoy, who had yet to appear, without looking obvious.

‘… hit by a Bludger and is so injured he has to…’ Hermione was vaguely aware of a nearby laughter and was about to insert herself into the discussion to remind them all of the importance of house unity and sportsmanship but at that moment Malfoy appeared in the doorway.

He held himself with confidence bordering on arrogance as he entered the hall alone, looking completely relaxed. Momentarily his eyes met Hermione’s across the room and he gave her a quick wink before sitting down next to Theo and Pansy, facing Hermione across the tables. She looked down at her plate, forcing herself to count to 10 in her head, slowly, before she looked up again.

When she allowed her eyes to travel across the room, they immediately met Malfoy’s. He gave her a slow smirk as he licked yogurt from his spoon in a sinfully suggestive manner. Blushing Hermione looked about her, to see if anyone had noticed their exchange. But her friends were discussing infamous Hogwarts quidditch matches and were not paying her or Malfoy any attention.

‘…Just a good thing Hermione happened to break his eye contact as she set fire to Snape!’ Ron was laughing as they discussed first year.

‘Can we dwell on the fact that Hermione set fire to a teacher age eleven and yet it’s me and Ron who McGonagall always seemed to see as rule breakers?’ Harry feigned an innocent look and Hermione couldn’t help laughing. She noticed a quick look between Ron, Ginny and Harry. They seemed to be waiting for each other to speak. _Shit, maybe they had noticed her staring at Malfoy._

‘Erm, Hermione. About tomorrow?’ Ginny suddenly looked a bit guilty ‘We have a quidditch practice in the afternoon …. But we thought we could see you in the evening?’

Before she could respond Harry chipped in ‘I am so sorry ‘Mione, I wasn’t thinking at all, but the captains were all booking practice slots and I didn’t even look at the date…’

Hermione was quick to relieve their guilt ‘It’s fine, I meant to tell you, McGonagall has given me permission to apparate to London tomorrow, I need to get some supplies for my healer training so I will be gone most of the day. My parents are going to meet me in Covent Garden for a birthday lunch’ Hermione smiled, thinking of the letter her mum had sent earlier in the week. She had been thrilled with the prospect of seeing her daughter on her actual birthday for the first time since she was 10. It had been tough helping them to recover their memories, and their trust, over the summer. Hermione felt like seeing them this weekend would be another important step in putting the war behind them.

‘Ah brilliant Mione, that works out perfectly!’ Ron looked relieved as he reached for a bacon roll.

Hermione had momentarily forgotten about Malfoy. But as she bid the others goodbye, she saw him get up from the Slytherin table. They both reached the entrance hall at the same moment and among the crush of students heading towards different classes, Hermione felt his tall frame press closely against her back. 

As the crowd of students ascended on the moving staircase Malfoy stood next to her, neither one of them speaking or looking at the other. As the stairs locked on to the next floor the sudden stop caused his arm to brush hers. Hermione shivered with excitement but was determined not to be the first to speak.

Their silent flirting continued in Ancient Runes. Malfoy sat on the table to Hermione’s left and when she glanced across she could see his was making notes in runes rather than English. His parchment was tilted towards her and she shifted in her seat to see it more clearly. She took small glances as she continued to listen to the professor, translating the words in her head one at a time.

_The many uses of a potions desk_

Underneath this Malfoy has begun to list some X-rated things that could be done on a potions desk, starting with _Finger fuck a topless Gryffindor princess until she climaxes._ Hermione stifled a small gasp. _What if Professor Babbling was to read that?_ Malfoy must have heard her intake of breath. He didn’t look at Hermione, but she saw his smirk widen. Hermione resolved to work the rest of the lesson without looking at Malfoy or his parchment again.

By the end of the lesson Malfoy had listed six things that could be done on a potions desk, each more explicit than the last. Hermione had read each one. She was so aroused she had found it difficult to focus on the lesson and when the bell went she hadn’t even finished the final question on the board. That had never happened to her before.

On the way to Arithmancy Hermione decided to give as good as she got. _No reason Malfoy should get to be so sangfroid while distracting me_. Sue was sitting by Isobel today which left a seat open next to Michael Corner, right in front of Malfoy. Perfect.

As Hermione greeted Michael and took out her textbook she realised she had no idea what to do next. Her plan had focused on making sure Malfoy could see her, but that she couldn’t see him, so she could distract him in retribution for Ancient Runes. _What could I possible do to distract him?_ The idea of trying to be sexy was so alien to Hermione she almost felt like laughing. Perhaps she could just drop her quill and flash her arse as she bent over to get it. _Yeah right_. Internally rolling her eyes at her lack of imagination Hermione decided to forget distracting Malfoy and focus on the lesson. _At least I won’t be able to see any of his notes._

Professor Vector explained that they were going to recreate an arithmancy chart which had been used in ancient Rome to predict the success of a potential marriage. It was this chart that correctly predicted Clodia Pulchra’s marriage to Octavian, the future Caesar Augustus, would be unconsummated, in 43 BC. There were dozens of changes needed for the chart to work in 1998 CE, and if even one was incorrect the whole prediction would be faulty. Professor Vector explained that it would likely take them several lessons to make all the adjustments, which she would then check and use as the basis for their autumn grade.

This would be the most challenging Arithmancy project and Hermione forgot about the handsome blond wizard sitting behind her as she immersed herself utterly in her work.

***

Malfoy had been having the most entertaining morning silently flirting with Hermione across the Great Hall and seeing her blush as she translated his notes in Ancient Runes. He was hoping she liked the sound of some of his ideas for the potions desk. But the tables had been turned in Arithmancy. He hardly heard Vector explain the complexity of the task, captivated by the witch sitting in front of him. Sat on the back row of desks nobody could observe him without turning around, so he was free to stare at her without anyone noticing.

She had left her hair down today, wild curls trailing down her back. But as Hermione began taking notes from her textbook she clearly felt like her brunette locks were getting in the way and she pinned them up in a messy bun. Malfoy now had a much clearer view of her long neck. He imagined kissing her there, biting and sucking, leaving her marked by him for everyone to see. When she was thinking she tapped her foot against her stool in a slow and regular rhythm. His eyes trailed from her feet to her legs as he remembered how she had wrapped them around his waist yesterday. _At this point she could probably give a presentation on flobberworms and I would find it sexy._ Malfoy mentally shook himself and looked at the blackboard. _What the hell were they even supposed to be doing?_

Unfortunately, it was at this point that Professor Vector chose to walk around the class to see how everyone was getting on. As she looked over his minimal work she asked him sternly to stay behind at the end of the lesson. _Merlin, sitting behind Hermione was more distracting than sitting between Crabbe and Goyle in first year._

***

Arriving at the Hospital wing that afternoon Hermione found Poppy in her office with a copy of _Witch Weekly_ and a hot chocolate.

‘Finally, a quite afternoon! If those Slytherins can stay on their brooms during try outs we might actually go 12 hours without incident.’ The healer smiled at Hermione, gesturing to the second mug on the desk ‘cream and marshmallows alright? I do think if one is going to have hot chocolate, it is worth doing it properly’. Hermione gratefully accepted and they passed the time discussing healer career paths and new developments in healing potions, until the sound of the hospital doors crashing open against the stone walls told them a new patient had arrived. 

The witches hurried out of the office to find Theo and Blaise levitating an unconscious Malfoy. Poppy began directing them to a bed in the far corner of the ward and Hermione was about to follow after them when a dishevelled Harry appeared in the doorway.

‘Hermione, I need to talk to you’ he looked breathless and serious. Hermione looked over at Madam Pomfrey, who had already started performing diagnostic checks on Malfoy. She didn’t need her immediately. Although she was desperate to find out if he was okay she nodded at her friend and gestured towards the office.

Harry shut the door behind them and quickly cast _muffliato_. ‘I think someone is trying to _kill_ Malfoy.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting, covid has made work crazy lately. But thank you so much to everyone who has commented or left kudos, I love reading your thoughts on the story so far.


	12. Plans and Alliances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bit of plot, quite a lot of smut.

‘What do you mean someone is trying to _kill Malfoy_? What happened to him?’ Hermione felt panic rising in her chest. She had been telling herself that whoever was behind these attacks were aiming to make Malfoy quit Hogwarts. They had been going too far, but the thought that they might be planning cold blooded murder hadn’t occurred to her. 

‘I don’t know anything for sure. I tried to tell McGonagall on the pitch just now, she said would handle it and “not to get involved” something about my tendency to find trouble…’ Harry raked a hand through his eternally messy hair as he paced the small office. Oddly his agitation seemed to calm Hermione.

‘Tell me everything, _quickly_.’

‘I was at the quidditch pitch a bit early, wanted to have a quick fly around before try outs started. When I was above the goal posts I noticed a group of three of four figures head under the Ravenclaw spectator stand but I didn’t think much of it. A few minutes later I flew down and the try outs started.’ Harry paused, as if waiting for Hermione to question him. She merely nodded at him to continue. ‘Malfoy had all the prospective beaters in the air practicing hitting bludgers at some targets he had bewitched to move around the pitch. Six of them hit the bludgers at the same time. One of them seemed to go off course, towards Malfoy –‘

‘Like what happened to you when Dobby was _protecting_ you?’ Hermione interrupted, thinking of how violent that enchanted bludger that had almost killed Harry.

‘…no I don’t think it was the ball. It almost hit him, but Malfoy cut upwards at the last moment and dodged it. But suddenly it was like he spaced out, lost his grip. He fell from such a height, I managed to cast a cushioning charm, so he shouldn’t have been injured at all. But he was unconscious when he hit the ground. Something just isn’t right about it all. Like someone was trying to make it look like an accident, like maybe the Bludger was supposed to hit him at the same time as he fell? There was no way Malfoy would have just lost his grip like that…But that seems to be what most people think they saw.’

‘And you think this was a planned murder attempt? Malfoy has been beaten to within an inch of his life several times already. What stops this from being another attempt at brutal injury?’

The ghost of a smile passed over Harry’s face and Hermione shot him an incredulous look. ‘Sorry, just remembering what Dobby said to me during second year _“Dobby never meant to kill. He only meant to maim or seriously injure.’”_ Harry sobered, _‘_ Honestly Hermione, if it wasn’t for the cushioning charm Malfoy would have died from that fall, no question.’

Hermione let out a breath she didn’t realise she had been holding. Harry had validated her worry over Malfoy, he was taking it seriously. ‘Well, if McGonagall is aware of the situation…’ She trailed off, wanting so much to believe that, for once, an adult would take the lead on a potential murderer in the school.

Harry sighed. ‘Obviously Dumbledore had many good qualities, but he wasn’t totally across school security. I mean when you think about it none of the teaching staff seem averse to students risking life and limb…’

‘Like detention in the forbidden forest for first years’

‘Yeah, or the fucking tri-wizard tournament’ 

‘So maybe we should make our own plans to figure out who is behind these attacks? And we need to make sure Malfoy is safe in the meantime.’ Hermione bit her lip as she considered the possibilities.

‘Lets keep this between us, I know we could get Ron and Gin to help, but let’s face it, Ron won’t have any sympathy for the situation, probably spend more time bitching than helping’ Harry frowned slightly, not wanting to hide anything from Ginny, but knowing it might be easier. The less people that knew Hermione and Harry were trying to find the attempted murderer the less chance of accidentally giving them a heads up. 

‘Perhaps Zabini, Parkinson and Nott, I know for certain they don’t want him dead as they keep trying to save his ass. They might be helpful in keeping an eye on him. I’ll speak to them.’ As a plot formed in her mind, Hermione began to speak faster. ‘This weekend, keep an eye out for anyone suspicious. I will make sure Malfoy is safe. Then on Monday if it doesn’t look like the headmistress has anything useful to contribute we will have to take matters into our own hands. I have a few ideas.’

Nodding Harry smiled at her, ‘Starting to feel like a normal year at Hogwarts.’

Hermione glanced through the office window in the direction of Malfoy’s bed. ‘I only hope we find them before he gets killed.’ Her voice betrayed more worry than she wanted to, but she was frightened. To get through all of last year and still have to worry about shit like this…

‘Well, we managed to stop the darkest wizard in history, I am sure we can stop whoever is behind this… bloody embarrassing if not!’

She suppressed a small laugh. Harry had a point there. Giving her a brief but reassuring hug, Harry left so Hermione could get to work.

As she approached the bed at the far end of the ward Hermione saw that Pansy must have arrived when she had been in the office with Harry. The three Slytherins were standing silently watching Madam Pomfrey as she ran her wand over Malfoy’s closed eyes.

‘Sorry, what did I miss?’ Hermione asked as she drew level with the bed.

‘Something better to do than look after the only patient in the whole ward, Granger?’ Pansy sneered at her.

‘Pans, give it a rest yeah?’ Blaise said quietly, nodding at Hermione. Pansy stuck her middle finger up at him but didn’t say anything else.

‘It looks,’ began Madam Pomfrey, as if the others hadn’t spoken ‘as If there was some curse or hex which caused Mr Malfoy to lose consciousness. All my scans show it is no longer active, which means he will wake up of his own accord when he is good and ready. I expect in the next 2-4 hours. In the meantime, he just needs to be monitored.’ She turned her attention to the Slytherins, ‘Miss Granger can answer any questions you might have, but visiting hours are now over so I would suggest that you make it quick and head down to the Great Hall for dinner’. Nodding at Hermione, Poppy headed back towards the office.

‘We want to stay right here, keep an eye on him, make sure nobody else tries to _off him_.’ Hermione hadn’t had Theo pegged as particularly loyal or caring. But he had moved to stand closer to Malfoy’s bed as he spoke.

‘You don’t need to worry about him tonight, Madam Pomfrey and I will put up extra wards and protective charms, and I will keep an eye on him’ All three of them looked ready to argue their point but Hermione ignored them and continued. ‘I think instead you ought to be helping Harry and I figure out who is trying to kill him before they actually succeed.’

Her words had clearly shocked them all but Blaise was the first to respond ‘Glad to see someone is finally taking this seriously. What’s the plan golden girl?’

‘But she –‘

‘Hang on Pans darling, let Granger speak. It seems as if we might all have a common goal here, in not wanting our Draco to meet an untimely end’ Theo put his arm around Pansy as he spoke in a soft tone. She allowed herself to be brought into a one-armed hug and nodded.

Hermione thought quickly. ‘We need to figure out who our suspects are. Can you to make a list of everyone who might have a grudge against Malfoy. Start with those in Slytherin and then add anyone else you can think of. Can you do that for me tonight? I will make sure Malfoy is safe here.’

‘Why are _you_ getting involved, Granger?’ Pansy was still leaning into Theo, who seemed to be acting as a calming influence, her tone was confused rather than scornful.

‘Because I am _fucking_ fed up of people trying murder each other, thus disturbing my studies every year’ Blaise chuckled at Hermione’s heated outburst while the others, sombre faced, at least looked convinced that she was aiming to help.

After a few more questions regarding the list of suspects, and reassurances from Hermione that she wouldn’t leave Malfoy unattended, the trio left the hospital wing and Hermione began to do her own diagnostics on Malfoy, just for peace of mind.

Madam Pomfrey joined her a few minutes later ‘Do your findings match mine?’ she asked the young witch.

‘When I run the diagnostic over his head, it feels as if I can sense a sort of – echo? A shadow? I am not sure how to explain it’ Hermione’s brows knitted as she focused and ran the spell again.

‘A _figura_ , sort of like a magical bruise. When a spell has ended but left a mark. It won’t last, it’s already fading. When it disappears he should wake. Most healers have to practice that spell for years before they are able to pick up on a _figura_. Well done my girl.’

Hermione felt delighted at the praise, and at the enjoyment of learning something new. ‘I will stay with him Poppy, why don’t you call it a night?’

The healer looked once towards the unconscious wizard and nodded. After giving Hermione a few tips on common side effects of regaining consciousness after a magical injury, and offering her freedom to raid her office snack cupboard, Poppy left. Hermione and Malfoy were alone in the ward.

***

The first thing Malfoy was aware of, was a warm hand entwined with his. For a moment, between sleep and waking, he felt unquestioning comfort in this. Slowly he opened his eyes and took in the scene around him. He was in the hospital ward, again. Night had fallen outside and the only light came from a softly glowing lamp affixed to the wall by his bed. Slowly turning his head, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. When it passed he was able to take in the figure by his bed.

Hermione had transfigured a hospital chair into a maroon cushioned armchair. It was pushed up against the bed allowing their hands to remain joined as she slept, legs tucked under her and head on the armrest in what looked like a terribly uncomfortable position.

For a few minutes Malfoy gazed at the beautiful sleeping witch, taking in the slight shift in her expressions as she dreamt. When she frowned and made a soft, unhappy noise Malfoy slowly moved the fingers of his intertwined hand against her knuckles. She seemed to go from sleep to wakeful in a single moment. Head shooting up, hand not holding Malfoy’s brandishing a wand before her eyes were fully open. _The second time I have woken up with her, and both times she is immediately ready to fight._ Malfoy wondered fleetingly if anyone had gone through the war unchanged.

‘You’re awake!’ Hermione lowered her wand and looked down at their still joined hands. ‘Sorry- I wanted to make sure I woke up when you did, magical head injuries can have numerous side effects and …’ she trailed off looking embarrassed, starting to pull her hand from his.

Malfoy responded by holding her hand tighter and trailing his thumb across her palm. He didn’t want to let go of her quite yet. ‘Thank you, Hermione’. He looked deep into her eyes, wishing he could tell her just how much it meant to have her looking out for him. But before he could say more nausea threatened to overwhelm him again and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

_Do not vomit in front of her, you categorically cannot vomit. Fuck._ Hermione seeing him in yet another weakened state was rather emasculating. He was going to have to ride this out with his trademark confidence so she didn’t see how much it bothered him.

‘Nurse Granger, do you think you can work your magic to stop me puking? Because I fully intend to seduce you later and it wouldn’t do to start out on the wrong foot’

Looking both shocked and amused Hermione nipped into the office and returned with her satchel. She produced a small paper bag labelled ‘Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes’ and pulled out an orange and purple sweet. ‘Only eat the purple half, unless you want to guarantee a seduction free evening’ she grinned at him.

It tasted like blackcurrants and as soon as he swallowed the waves of sickness dissipated and he felt almost as good a new. ‘ _Merci infirmière Granger’_ he smiled at Hermione, sitting up in the bed ‘the world has officially stopped spinning’

***

Hermione had never found men speaking a foreign language to be so suggestive before. Victor had taught her some Bulgarian, which was interesting, but not a turn on. _Perhaps it’s only Malfoy speaking another language that’s sexy, perhaps it’s just Malfoy full stop._ Before she could get carried away imagining them in a Parisian hotel ordering room service Hermione gave herself a mental shake and picked up her spiral bound healer training notebook. Before she had fallen asleep she had spent an hour browsing Poppy’s bookshelves and noting now all she could on magical head injuries. He could have serious lasting damage.

‘I need to do some tests, to make sure you are fully recovered. Malfoy, what do you remember from the try outs?’ notebook open and pen in hand Hermione gave Malfoy a questioning look.

Frowning slightly Malfoy took a moment to respond. ‘I had the beaters practicing with the bludgers. One almost hit me … did it hit me? I don’t remember what happened after that’ Hermione couldn’t help noticing how frustrated he appeared.

‘It was a spell, someone hit you with a spell just as the bludger came towards you, it seemed to knock you out. You fell, from really high according to Harry. He cast a cushioning charm which stopped you from …’ Hermione couldn’t bring herself to say that he had almost died. It was too much, that yet another person in her life was at risk. Suddenly she felt overcome with exhaustion and anxiety. She took a steading breath.

‘Potter saved me again eh? Damnit he is making it more and more difficult to dislike him. In fact, if you think about it, pretty selfish move on his part.’ One look at his face and Hermione could tell Malfoy had picked up on her distress and was trying to lighten the mood. _Unlike Ron who seemed to need a flashing sign above her head to know what she was thinking._

Rolling her eyes at him, Hermione began to run through some basic questions to test his memory

‘Full name?’

“Draco Lucius Malfoy’

‘Where are you?’

‘Hogwarts hospital ward, with the famous golden girl and exceptional nurse Granger’ At this Hermione blushed slightly but continued, determined not to be side tracked from her examination.

‘What day is it?’

‘Well it was Friday 18th September 1998 when I fell off my broom, but given the darkness and the fact that you were asleep I am guessing it’s now Saturday the 19th September.’

‘Good, and who –‘

Before she could finish Malfoy interrupted ‘Happy birthday, Hermione’

Her mouth dropped open in astonishment. ‘How on earth did you know it’s my birthday?’

‘In first year, your parents sent you a huge box of muggle sugar free sweets, Snape deducted points from all the Gryffindors for eating them in potions class, and Seamus protested that it was your birthday, so Snape deducted him another 5 points for arguing’

‘oh my god’ Hermione laughed ‘that was before we had fully grasped what a wanker Snape was going to be to Gryffindors… are you seriously telling me you remembered since then?’

Malfoy shrugged ‘nineteen is my lucky number so I guess it just stuck…’

‘oh’ Hermione had no idea what to say to that. Her best friends had accidentally scheduled a quidditch practice on her birthday and Draco Malfoy, former bully, erstwhile death eater, had known it for the last eight years.

‘Come on then Granger, what other taxing questions do you have for me?’

‘er-‘ her mind went blank ‘who is the Prime Minister of Britain?’

‘The muggle Prime Minister? You think I know that when I _haven’t_ been knocked off a broom?’ he raised an eyebrow at her. ‘I think I have proved that I am _compos mentis_ ’

‘Yes, well it’s Tony Blair for future reference. His platform is improving muggle education.’ Hermione took out her wand and performed a non-verbal _lumos_. ‘Sit on the edge of the bed please, I am going to check your eyes, I need to get quite- quite close to you’ The butterflies in her chest began to flutter at an alarming rate as Hermione wondered if they were about to have a repeat performance of the last time they were alone in the hospital ward.

_Both times they had kissed it had been her who had made the move, Malfoy had got close, but it was her who bridged the last small gap to bring their lips together_. Doubt began to creep into her brain. _Perhaps he thought she was easy? Perhaps he hadn’t really wanted to?_ The logical part of her brain told her this was ludicrous but her self-doubt was persistent. She thought back to the potions lab, where she had grabbed his tie in order to pull him in for a kiss. And the hospital bed, where she had crashed her lips into his. _Gods she wanted to kiss him again. No, I want him to kiss ME_ Hermione mentally corrected herself _._

Malfoy had moved himself to the edge of the bed, feet on the floor, looking at her expectantly. _How long had she been standing there, lit wand in hand, staring into space?_

‘Right’ she stepped so close to him they were almost touching. Due to the elevation of the bed she found herself almost the same height standing as Malfoy sitting. He moved his knees apart slightly allowing her to get even closer to his face. He seemed to be holding himself especially still. ‘Okay, I am going to shine this light in your eyes. Don’t look directly at the light. Focus on the wall behind me instead.’

***

Hermione moved the wand slowly left, right and back again in front of his eyes. Pausing every now and again to make notes. ‘look up’ her voice was hardly more than a whisper, but he felt her breath caress his face, she was so close to him. There was something incredibly relaxing about being the central focus of her attention like this. He stared towards the ceiling noticing the intricate stone carvings above the windows. ‘and down…good…look left…and right…good…and look into my eyes’

Her beautiful chocolate coloured eyes looked back at him, and he was hardly aware of the wandlight passing between them, after a moment Hermione lowered her wand and Malfoy realised they were just staring at each other. He hadn’t noticed before, but her eyes had little golden flecks in them. Malfoy had never just looked at someone like this before. They weren’t even touching and yet it felt so intimate. He wanted to take in her whole face, but he was reluctant to break eye contact with her. He swallowed, the sound loud in his ears. Hermione nervously licked her lips, but made no move towards him. It became clear that he was going to have to take control of the situation.

Without breaking eye contact Malfoy stood. Hermione had been so close to him when he was sat down that they were now millimetres away from touching. Her head tilted up to continue to meet his gaze.

Without giving himself time to overthink, Malfoy placed one arm around her waist pulling her against him, his other hand cupping the side of her face as he lowered his lips to hers. Hermione let out a soft moan of delight as she wrapped both her arms around his torso, grasping at his robes as if trying to pull him even closer. Her mouth opened to his, her tongue meeting his, matching his firm but unhurried pace.

The connection they had felt when they were looking at each other had not broken when they closed their eyes. But now it was being conducted through touch. Their hands didn’t still as they slowly explored each other. Malfoy traced Hermione’s jaw with his fingers, before running his hands gently down her arms. At the same time her hands trailed from his shoulder blades down his back and to his hips.

Malfoy imagined laying Hermione out on the bed, divesting her of all her clothes and kissing every inch of her skin. _They were alone, in the middle of the night… could that actually happen?_ Malfoy felt his cock harden at the thought, but just as he was about to remove her jumper, Hermione broke the kiss.

Looking up at him she reached for the fastening of his grass stained quidditch robe and pulled it open, tugging it off him. Without pausing her hands dipped under his shirt and to the belt on his trousers. _Fuck, was she going to…?_

‘Hermione – you don’t have to...’ his voice was filled with desire but he had to say it, make sure she knew there was no expectation for her to touch him. _Merlin, he really wanted her to touch him_. At the thought of her hand around his cock he felt himself get even harder _. His self-control was about to expire._

He kissed her again, and while she returned the kiss with enthusiasm he felt her hand continue to undo his trousers. Quickly she had them open and in a fluid gesture she had removed his hard member from his boxer briefs. Malfoy groaned deeply into her mouth as he felt her fingers run up his length.

Hermione broke their kiss, biting her lip as she looked down at his dick in her hand. ‘You’re – gods, you’re really …’ She looked up at him, slowly moving her hand up and down his shaft.

Malfoy gave her a satisfied smirk, ‘Yes, Hermione?’ he wondered if she would be too embarrassed to finish her sentence.

‘You’re… _big_ ’

At her words his cock twitched in her hand, a drop of pre-cum forming on his swollen tip. He couldn’t help a moment of smugness knowing he must be larger than Weasley. Although the quidditch changing rooms had made it clear to him years ago that he was well endowered.

‘Think you can handle it?’ All thoughts of not continuing had left his brain. Instead, he ran his fingers along the hem of her school jumper as he shot her a questioning look.

‘One way to find out’ and with a sudden bolt of courage Hermione dropped to her knees, put her hands on his thighs to steady herself, and licked the pre-cum from his cock.

‘ _Fuck_ Hermione’ He couldn’t believe this was actually happening. _Hermione Granger had her lips on his cock_. The sight alone almost brought him to orgasm as she hollowed her cheeks and took him deep into her mouth.

He put his hands lightly on the back of her head, resisting the almost overwhelming urge to set the pace by thrusting into her throat. Instead he tangled his fingers in her curls and let the sensations overtake him. _Gods she was fucking incredible._ Her tongue swirled around his head as her hand pumped the base of his cock before moving down to cup his balls, which were tightening, ready to release.

After just a few minutes Malfoy chocked out ‘Hermione, I not gonna last if you keep doing that’. She met his gaze and picked up her pace, sucking and licking, a wicked glint in her eyes. ‘I’m close, I’m close, I’m _fuck_ –.’ Malfoy came harder than he ever had in his life, a loud groan escaping his lips as he held eye contact with Hermione, unwilling to miss a second as she swallowed every drop. Once she was satisfied that he had finished Hermione kissed his shaft lightly before putting his trousers to rights and standing. She looked both proud and defiant, waiting to see how he would react.

‘You, are a fucking _goddess_ Granger’ He cupped her face in both hands and bent his head to kiss her deeply ‘I have _never_ come that hard in my life’ he trailed kisses down her neck, nipping her skin gently as he went ‘In fact, I don’t think I have ever been that _turned on_ before’. Hermione’s breath was coming faster and she let out small whimpers.

_Merlin, Hermione Granger seemed to really like dirty talk._

‘Did you like sucking my cock Hermione?’

She made a little moan of confirmation.

Malfoy grabbed her ass, pulling her closer against him so she could feel him growing hard again. ‘Did sucking me off get you wet?’ his hand dropped to the hem of her skirt and began to trace the back of her thigh

Hermione stifled a louder moan as she nodded her head against his shoulder.

‘Do you want me to feel how wet you are?’ his fingers danced across her thigh, millimetres from her core. He felt her nod again.

Malfoy slowly pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. ‘Get onto the bed Granger’

***

His voice was low and demanding, and Hermione’s heart raced as she followed his instructions. She hadn’t realised it was possible to become so aroused from pleasuring someone else, but getting Malfoy off had made her clit throb and she could feel a pool of wetness in her underwear as she moved onto the bed.

She sat, back against the headboard, knees bent slightly and pressed tightly together in an attempt to sedate the heat between her legs.

‘Take off your knickers’ Malfoy stayed standing as he watched her. Hermione recalled letting him take charge in the potions lab too. _I love it when he tells me what to do._

Taking a breath, she looked him in the eyes as she lifted her hips, then slowly pulled her knickers down her legs, kicking off her shoes at the same time. Dropping them onto the floor by his feet she saw his eyes flash as he took in the green lace.

Malfoy knelt on the bed ‘open your legs Granger’ Shit, she felt desperate for him to touch her, but also very aware that he would be looking at her in a way nobody else ever had.

Hermione looked down, unable to meet his eyes as she moved her knees apart, her bent legs causing her skirt to fall back towards her waist.

Feeling the bed move, she looked up, to see Malfoy, kneeling on the bed looking directly at her most private area. She expected to feel shame or embarrassment. But seeing the look of pure lust in his eyes Hermione felt herself grow wetter. Brazenly, she moved her feet further apart, widening the gap between her legs.

His eyes flicked to her face ‘I want to taste your sweet pussy Granger’ as he spoke he ran his fingers gently across her inner thigh ‘I want to go down on you until you come apart’ his hand was _so close_ to her core. Hermione bit her lip. ‘Tell me that you want me to’ he pulled his hand away waiting for her response.

The self-consciousness she had felt in the lab was gone. She knew he wanted her, she could see in his eyes that he fancied her with a passion. She had revelled in him finishing in her mouth and everything about him was telling her he would find it just a pleasurable to return the favour.

‘ _Gods, yes_ , I want you to, I want to know what it feels like’ 

Shock showed on his face. ‘Hermione, are you telling me nobody has ever tasted you?’

‘No, well, there’s only been Ron and he didn’t…’ subconsciously Hermione began to close her knees. _Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything._

‘I get the idea, what a fucking idiot’ his voice was scornful. Malfoy moved so that their faces were inches apart. Brushing a curl behind her ear he whispered ‘I am going to make you come so hard Hermione’ she shivered at his words.

Swiftly Malfoy was between her legs again. Placing a hand behind each knee he pulled her down the bed so she was no longer sitting upright.

He had pushed her skirt up to her waist and let out a growl of desire ‘so wet for me Granger’

Before she could respond Malfoy ran his tongue along her glistening slit. Hermione let out a gasp and he repeated the motion a few times before focusing his attention on her clit.

His tongue varied between slow figure eights and quick flicks across her button as Hermione’s gasps became moans and her hips started to buck.

‘Fuck Hermione, you have such a perfect cunt’ he kissed the inside of her thigh before moving his mouth lower, running his tongue across her entrance, feeling here walls clench.

‘I could do this all day, you taste divine’ he purred into her.

‘yes – oh yes! _Please,_ yes’ Hermione felt as if every nerve ending in her body was on fire, she was getting close. His mouth, _his fucking mouth_ was magical. Nothing had ever felt this good.

Returning his attention to her clit Malfoy brought two fingers to her entrance and thrust them into her without warning, pumping her cunt and feeling her wet heat clench them.

‘Oh.. _oh_ Malfoy I’m - _mmmmm_ ’ Malfoy slowly removed his fingers, before the orgasm that had been building could release. Hermione moaned in frustration.

‘Not quite yet Granger’ he growled into her, letting one finger trail down to her asshole. Hermione took a sharp intake in breath as his finger grazed her _there._

‘Don’t worry Granger, I just want to make you feel good, this area’, he said, finger circling her asshole, ‘is very sensitive’ he put a small amount of pressure on the opening, without breaching it. _Fuck, that does feel good._ Hermione moaned hardly aware of how loud she was. _It wasn’t important, the only thing that mattered was what Malfoy was doing to her._

‘You have been such a good girl’ he ran his tongue from her clit to her puckered asshole, circling it. Hermione thought she might have cried out words, or maybe just sounds. She had no idea. She felt as if the tiniest ministrations might push her over the edge. ‘We will explore your gorgeous ass more next time, but for now…’

All slow and gentleness abandoned Malfoy began fucking her with his fingers in hard, fast strokes as his mouth focused on her clit. ‘That’s right, beautiful witch’ he groaned as her legs started to clench around his head and her moans grew more erratic.

Stars exploded behind her eyelids as she came with blinding force. Her orgasm seemed to go on and on. Malfoy removed his tongue from her too sensitive clit, licking her labia as she gradually returned to her senses, pulling his fingers from her still tremoring cunt, he replaced them with his tongue slowly lapping at her opening. _It’s as if he wants to make sure he has tasted as much as possible_.

Feeling boneless and utterly tranquil Hermione gave Malfoy a wide grin when he eventually migrated from between her legs, lying next to her on the bed.

‘Well Hermione, now you have experienced it, what are your thoughts on cunnilingus?’ his smug smile told her he knew exactly what she thought. Hermione leaned over, kissed him deeply, tasting herself as their tongues met.

‘I think… this is quite possibly the best birthday I have ever had, and it’s not even 5am’

Laughing, Malfoy pulled her closer to him so that her head was nestled against his chest and her arm across his stomach. _Snuggling? This was unexpected…and very agreeable_. That was the last conscious thought Hermione had before she fell into a blissful, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in posting, work is crazy trying to meet a lot of pre-Christmas deadlines. Thank you for those who have left kudos or comments, really appreciate it. Hoping to finish this story by the end of Dec :-)


	13. Muggle London

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Malfoy take a trip to the capital

Hermione woke up gradually, with no alarms or sudden appearance of Madam Pomfrey. Hermione felt long fingers in her hair, gently twisting and pulling it soothingly. She sighed in contentment realising that she was in the same position she had been in when she fell asleep. She could feel Malfoy’s solid abs under her fingers. _Really wouldn’t mind spending more time with him shirtless, without him needing medical attention._ As her mind wondered the details of the last few hours came back to her, and her cheeks warmed.

Slowly opening her eyes, Hermione raised her head to smile at Malfoy ‘Morning-‘ Her greeting was cut off by a yawn.

‘Seems I might have worn you out last night’ Malfoy smirked at her. ‘Perhaps I should take it easy on you next time?’

‘Next time?’ Sitting up and running her hands through her curls to try and assess the level of bedhead she was working with, Hermione raised an eyebrow inquisitively at him. _He wants to keep doing this?!_ Her heart pounded in excitement. _Was this – were they – might this become a regular event?_ She decided to change the subject before he could respond, just in case he was only joking. 

Casting a spell to tame her curls Hermione looked around her, noticing how bright the light was coming in through the carved window above the bed. ‘It’s late, I can’t believe Madam Pomfrey hasn’t come to check on you yet, thank goodness you thought to close the curtains round the bed this time’

Malfoy opened his mouth to reply but before he could they both heard the heavy sound of the hospital ward door opening. ‘Good morning Madam Pomfrey, you look radiant as ever’ Theo Nott’s voice rang out across the hospital wing. His footfalls were drawing nearer to them.

Hermione shot out of bed and onto the armchair beside it, picking up her spiral notebook and opening it randomly, forcing her face into a neutral expression. _Thank Merlin I fell asleep in my clothes_ Hermione thought as she attempted to smooth the wrinkles out of her shirt. Poppy had obviously replied to Nott but in her panic not to be caught in bed with Malfoy, Hermione had missed it. ‘Why whatever do you mean Madam Pomfrey? Who wouldn’t want my company while recovering from a near death experience? I am a _delight_!’ His steps quickly drew nearer.

Nott pulled back the hospital curtains surrounding the bed with a flourish. ‘I see you made it through the night then’ his gaze dragged up Malfoy’s body, taking in his entirely relaxed posture sitting upright in bed, legs stretched out, one arm behind his head. ‘Pomfrey seemed to think you might need more rest….’ His eyes caught on something on the floor, on the opposite side of the bed to where Hermione sat ‘… perhaps she was right?’ Nott grinned broadly and Hermione noticed he had dimples. _Don’t think I have ever seen him smile like that before._ Then it dawned on her, _oh my gods, my knickers are on the floor! That’s what he is looking at right now._

Hermione couldn’t see any way of addressing this situation that wasn’t utterly mortifying. Standing abruptly, and without looking at either wizard she announced she was off to talk to Madam Pomfrey, quickly snagging her bag and silently _accio-_ ing her knickers as she walked away. She heard Malfoy say ‘Do you think you could be less of a smug git?’ as Nott’s laughter boomed across the empty ward.

***

When she returned half an hour later, Hermione found Malfoy and Nott in the middle of a game of wizard chess. Neither were talking as they eyed the board with determination. Hermione noticed a collection of white pieces by Malfoy, showing he was in the lead.

Deciding it was best to take charge of the conversation before Nott could say anything embarrassing Hermione launched into her questioning ‘How are you getting along with the list?’

‘We are making progress thank you Granger’ Theo ran a hand through his artfully tousled dark hair ‘turns out it would have been easier to list everyone who doesn’t currently want Draco here dead or injured but never mind.’ He winked at his friend ‘Should be finished by this afternoon. There were a few we weren’t totally sure about so Blaise and Pans have gone undercover to see what they can unearth’

‘Undercover? Pans and Blaise have all the subtlety of a Hippogriff in a china shop. What are they doing? Wearing fake moustaches and asking if anyone fancies lynching me?’ Draco sounded more bemused than worried. Hermione realised Nott must have filled him in on what they had discussed last night.

‘Actually, they got some extendable ears from Weasley’s shop. Said they were going to try and listen in on a few people’ Nott took Malfoy’s knight. ‘I can keep Draco company today while they do that’

‘I don’t need a bloody babysitter’ Malfoy grumbled as he made his next move on the board.

‘That won’t be necessary, Malfoy and I are going to London today’ Hermione had intended to _ask_ Malfoy if he wanted to come, but she felt self-conscious asking in front of Nott. _God now he probably thinks I expect to be some sort of bossy control freak girlfriend just because of last night._ She had been looking at Nott when she answered but she saw Malfoy look up from the board in surprise at her words.

Nott raised an eyebrow at Malfoy waiting for his response.

‘Seems like you will have to find something else to occupy yourself today Theo’ Malfoy smirked at Hermione ‘I appear to be spoken for’

Rolling his eyes Theo stood, magicked a floor length mirror to check his hair and spotless clothes, disappeared the mirror and turned back to Hermione and Malfoy. ‘Well, in that case, there is a certain Ravenclaw quidditch player I have been hoping to become better acquainted with… maybe I will _seek_ them out.’ With that Nott sauntered from the ward with the confidence of a runway model.

‘You don’t have to come to London or anything, if you would rather not, I just thought it might be nice to get out of school and spend the day not having to worry about someone hexing you, so I cleared it with the headmistress, since she had already given me permission to go …’ Hermione spoke quickly but trailed off at the end realising that she was probably waffling.

Malfoy raked his gaze up and down her body _he’s looking at me like I’m not wearing a stitch_ Hermione thought as a shiver went down her spine ‘I am entirely in your hands, Hermione’.

***

Twenty minutes later Hermione and Malfoy had floo’ed from the headmistress’s office to the Leaky Cauldron. But instead of exiting into Diagon Ally they had left through the rather more unused door onto Charing Cross Road.

Hermione noticed Malfoy regard the muggle shops somewhat inquisitively, but she could see no trace of distain or superiority in his expression. In fact, he seemed perfectly at ease in his strolling down the bustling high street in in his muggle attire – black jeans and a dark green jumper with a grey pea coat. They passed a young woman who resembled Fleur, graceful and blonde. She did a double take at the sight of the Malfoy, narrowly missing a bollard as she continued to stare. _I can’t blame her, man looks like a bloody model, his outfit looked as if it had been made for him._ Hermione sighed inwardly trying not to compare herself to the girl. _He has no right to walk around looking so damn hot._

‘Malfoy where did you even get those muggle clothes?’ at her words he looked down at himself as if only now considering what he was wearing.

‘Gucci perhaps? I’m not sure, I asked Madam Malkin to throw in some muggle stuff with the latest robes I had made.’

Rolling her eyes at his blasé attitude to designer muggle-wear Hermione slowed her pace. ‘We’re here’ she announced, her eyes glinting with excitement as she pointed to the red brick building which dominated the block, windows stretching wide to showcase countless books.

‘Your special birthday trip to London is for a muggle bookshop? Why am I not surprised Granger?’ He held the door open for her as If it was the most natural thing in the world and for a moment Hermione wondered if this was what it would be like to date Malfoy.

_No, focus. Find his attackers, enjoy the moment. Do not pin hopes on things that might not happen. Perhaps I don’t even want to date Malfoy. I have only been on speaking terms with him for a couple of weeks after all…_

Realising she had been staring off into space instead of actually entering the building Hermione felt a blush rise up her neck as she walked through the doors. Glancing up at Malfoy she noticed his trademark smirk.

‘I am looking for a couple of specific books on muggle medical treatments’ she told Malfoy, her eyes looking longingly at the rows and rows of fiction books that covered the ground floor. ‘I shouldn’t take too long’ a guilty expression formed on her face as she thought back to how much Ron had whined last time she had taken him to Flourish and Blotts. He had ended up leaving her there while he visited his brothers joke shop.

‘I wouldn’t mind looking at the medical texts myself, lead the way nurse Granger’ the look Malfoy gave her made it clear he was remembering her recent bedside manner.

***

Fifteen minutes later Malfoy was absorbed in _Basic and Applied Concepts of Transfusion and Transplants_ when he felt Hermione’s eyes on him. Turning his head, he noticed her staring through a row of books but she quickly looked away when their eyes met.

Malfoy added the book to the pile at his feet and flicked through another. _This chapter could be helpful…_ he was tempted to start dogearing the pages already. He was going to buy them so it was probably okay. Glancing around he caught Hermione looking at him again. _Just like in the potions lab_. He smiled, because a lot had happened since then. Grabbing the books, he had accumulated Malfoy took quick strides around the bookcase towards Hermione.

She was holding three hefty looking textbooks against her left hip while trying to open a hardback one handed to read the inside flap. Rolling his eyes Malfoy easily took the books from her arm.

‘I- thank you. I think I have everything I need now, sorry it took a little while. Shall we make a move?’ _She looks guilty again_ Malfoy realised. _What on earth did she have to feel guilty for? Of course, Potter and Weasley probably weren’t able to entertain themselves for ling in a bookshop unless it had a section on quidditch or ridiculously advanced magic to help defeat a dark lord._

‘What’s the idea Granger? Bring me to a bookshop the size of Gringotts and only let me look in one section?’ he raised his brow in mock disbelief. ‘I suppose as it is your birthday it’s your choice. But I was hoping to check out the art history section, look at the recommended reads over in fiction, and perhaps check out the biographies.’

‘You want to look at muggle literature? And biographies? Are you being serious?’ a look of uncertainty crossed her face as she tried to decipher his motive.

‘Well, I read a book on Leonardo da Vinci over the summer, but it was written by a wizard claiming da Vinci was a muggle born who didn’t realise he was a wizard. It seemed rather unreliable so I wanted to see if I could find a more comprehensive work. Plus, my mother adores art history, muggle and wizarding, so I was thinking I might find a gift for her’ Hermione’s mouth made a small oh as she struggled to respond.

‘And the fiction?’ she managed to ask.

‘I just finished 1984 by George Orwell, but I found it a bit confusing in places. I think I am missing some key knowledge on muggle society so I thought I might try something else…’ Malfoy felt slightly embarrassed admitting his lack of understanding but he wanted to be honest with her.

‘Oh, that makes perfect sense, if you like dystopia perhaps _The Handmaid’s Tale_ might make more sense to a none muggle, because Atwood describes the things they have taken away from them,’ she turned to look at a nearby sign indicating which genres were on each floor. ‘and I have some ideas for boosting your muggle studies through literature…’ she had begun to speak quickly, her enthusiasm plainly evident but she paused and looked at Malfoy again ‘if you’re sure you don’t want to leave yet?’

Malfoy wanted to erase all uncertainty from her face, so he acted on impulse and leaned down to kiss her cheek ‘There is nowhere I would rather be right now than in a bookshop with you’ her delighted smile left a funny feeling in his chest ‘well…perhaps I can think of one or two places’ he kissed her again, this time his lips touching the corner of her mouth, waiting to see how she would react.

Turning her face towards his, she kissed him back, running her tongue across his lower lip and nibbling softly. Malfoy groaned softly as she pulled away. ‘Come on then’ she practically skipped towards the fiction section, ‘let’s not keep the books waiting’.

***

Over two hours later Hermione and Malfoy finally managed to tear themselves away from the bookshop. They had covered every floor, pausing after the fiction section to have coffee and cake in the café. Malfoy had described the library at the manor, making her laugh so hard she almost snorted coffee out of her nose as he gave an account of how he had come across a mysterious spell book as a child and accidentally turned all the peacocks in the gardens into flamingos when he read some words aloud. In turn Hermione had Malfoy both amused and terrified as she explained how a flash of accidental magic when she was seven had caused all her Barbies to move of their own accord.

Hermione could not remember ever having so much fun in a bookshop, and that really was saying something. _Had he always been this witty?_ For a moment Hermione felt saddened that she hadn’t been able to get to know this side of him sooner. But she was brought back to the present when she realised Malfoy was currently paying for all their books combined.

‘Malfoy, don’t, I have birthday money from my gran, you don’t need to…’ but it was too late. He had already handed over a black plastic credit card to the cashier. Signing the receipt, he winked at Hermione.

‘Birthday present’ he said simply as he grabbed their books – so many they were in three bags. As they left the store Malfoy case a quick wandless lightening charm on the bags, putting them all in one hand so he could put his free arm across Hermione’s shoulders as they walked down Charing Cross Road.

‘I can’t believe you have a muggle credit card’ Hermione actually found it pretty easy to believe considering the designer muggle clothes and his ease at being in muggle London. Clearly the Malfoys took care to make sure they could blend in and pay for things in any situation. But she was keen to make conversation, to cover up the butterflies rising in her stomach from the casual way he was keeping her close to him. _It could be totally platonic. He might have his arm around me just to keep us together in the crowds_. Somewhat timidly she put her own arm around his waist as they walked, wanting to reciprocate the contact. He grinned down at her but didn’t comment on the movement.

They talked about everything and anything as they walked towards Covent Garden. Malfoy eyed a street magician cynically as they passed, but then paused them to watch his next trick, where he appeared to make the three of clubs disappear from his hand and into the wallet of a member of the audience.

Hermione pulled him away so they wouldn’t be late for lunch, as he muttered about how the guy was clearly a wizard pretending to be a muggle for profit. Hermione was laughing again as they arrived to find her parents already seated in the Italian restaurant.

‘Darling! Happy birthday!’ Her mum jumped up to embrace her the second she laid eyes on her daughter, with her dad sweeping them both into a giant bearhug and kissing the top of her curls.

When they broke apart Hermione realised Malfoy was standing a little way from them, as if to give them space to hug. He looked slightly taken aback by their show of affection.

‘Mum, dad, this is M-Draco, Draco Malfoy. Draco, these are my parents’.

Stretching out his hand to her dad, Draco said ‘Mr Granger, Mrs Granger, pleased to meet you both.’ _Was Draco nervous? His smile was not the easy one from the bookstore. In fact, he looked rather apprehensive._

‘Do call us Julie and Stephen’ Hermione’s mum smiled at Draco as they all took their seats at the table ‘we got Hermione’s owl this morning saying you were coming, it’s very nice to meet you.’

‘Hermione tells us you are the only one who comes close to beating her in all the school exams’ her father’s voice was deep and jolly. ‘And now you are both getting ahead in potions too I take it? Nice that she has someone to challenge her academically.’

Soon her father and Draco were having a surprisingly deep conversation about medicine as Stephen explained the training involved in becoming a dentist, Draco seemed much more at ease. At the same time Hermione felt she was having two conversations with her mum. One out loud, and another which was unspoken. ‘Where are Harry and Ron today sweetheart?’ she asked, but Hermione was well aware of the subtext: _How come you are here with Draco and not them?_

‘They have quidditch practice, but Draco was free so…’ Hermione tried to convey with her eyes that she was very happy with how the arrangement had worked out.

‘What have you been doing this morning?’ The slightly raised eyebrows indicated her mother was trying to figure out the nature of her daughters’ relationship with the blond wizard, who, while seemingly completely focused on the conversation with her dad, had moved his chair close to hers to that her left thigh was touching his right thigh, as if he couldn’t bear not to be in contact with her in some way.

‘We went to the bookshop’ Hermione answered with a smile.

‘And what else?’

‘That’s it, we spent rather a long time in there’

‘Really?’ Julie eyed Draco thoughtfully but didn’t press Hermione for any more details.

***

‘I might never need to eat again’ Hermione sighed in contentment as she and Draco strolled back towards the Leaky Cauldron the autumn sun starting to dip towards the horizon. Their meals had been divine. During the main course Draco had pinched some of the salad from her plate with a wink and given her some of his garlic bread as if sharing food was something they did all the time. She hadn’t been able to stop smiling throughout the meal.

The afternoon had flown by. Draco, having impressed Hermione’s father immediately with his polite manner and intelligent questions about dentistry, won over her mum once she picked up on his attentiveness to her daughter. When they were saying goodbye to her parents Julie had hugged her daughter and whispered ‘You have him utterly besotted darling’ Hermione had whispered back that she shouldn’t get carried away. Her mum was a ridiculous romantic.

As they left Covent Garden Draco linked his hand with hers, tracing patterns across her palm with his thumb. They walked in comfortable silence, taking in the people and stores around them. Hermione noticed Draco’s thumb seemed to be tracing the same pattern repeatedly on her hand. _What was it? A rune?_ Before she could make sense of it they were back at the Leaky Cauldron and Draco had dropped her hand.

Hermione looked about the pub. It was quite busy, being a Saturday evening, but she spotted an empty booth in the corner. ‘Shall we have a drink before we head back?’

‘Grab the table, I’ll sort the drinks’ he walked quickly towards the bar before she could even tell him what she wanted. _I suppose I don’t really care what he orders_ Hermione reflected. She was just reluctant to end their day. But a slight feeling of unease was creeping in since they arrived at the pub. Had he dropped her hand because he didn’t want to be seen with her?

He returned a few minutes later with a scowl on his face as he placed their drinks down. Hermione realised she had expected Draco to sit next to her and she felt a stab of disappointment as he took the seat across from her instead.

‘Is – is anything the matter?’ she asked, searching his eyes questioningly.

Draco gave a tired sigh. ‘Just a reminder of my place in the world’

‘Well that’s cryptic. Whatever do you mean?’ Hermione sipped her drink through the straw without looking at it, but was momentarily distracted from their conversation as a fiery tang taste hit her throat. She looked down at her glass noticing the orange and cherries adorning the yellow liquid.

‘It’s a Scamander Sours, I thought your birthday deserved a cocktail’ He wasn’t looking at her as he spoke. Hermione felt like the happy atmosphere that had surrounded them all day was being sucked from the room.

‘Thank you, Draco, it’s delicious’ she reached for his hand across the table but he didn’t react. ‘What have I missed since we left muggle London? What did you mean about your place in the world?’

‘Just, Tom told me I was not welcome in his establishment when not accompanied by you. Muttered something about me trying to sully your good name.’ Draco swallowed the rest of his whiskey in a large gulp, looking pissed off.

‘That’s – he –.’ Hermione was so angry she could spit. Without another word she marched over to the bar.

‘Miss Granger, so lovely to see you’ a middle-aged witch sitting at the bar greeted her. Hermione was certain she had never met her before. ‘We are all so grateful to you and your friends. Don’t know how you stood up to he who will not be named’ fear flashed in her eyes ‘but you saved us all’ she clutched Hermione’s hand tightly in hers ‘you _saved_ us’ she repeated ‘I am proud to be sitting in the same bar as you, let me buy you a drink.’

‘Honestly, I really didn’t do much…’ Hermione had a few encounters like this over the summer and she had absolutely no clue how to handle them. Giving the witch a small smile and politely declining the drink, she moved down to the end of the bar where Tom was cleaning glasses.

‘Miss Granger!’ he greeted her with a look of concern ‘I am pleased you have come over, I was going to come and check on you, are you alright back there with that Malfoy boy?’

‘Yes, I bloody well am Tom, but if you insult my friend again then I will not be able to continue to visit your establishment’ the old wizard spluttered in surprise at her words.

‘He’s a death eater Miss Granger, I was just looking out for you’

‘I appreciate that’ Hermione bit back her anger, trying to have empathy for the wizard. ‘I do, but, Draco Malfoy is not a death eater. He is a student of Hogwarts just like I am, and he did his part to help protect Harry, Ron and I during the war. I would appreciate it if you could show him the warm welcome I have always received here…or I – I won’t be back.’ She didn’t exactly think the absence of her presence in a pub she had only have visited a handful of times was a very good threat, but she had been too angry to think of anything else.

Without waiting for a reply Hermione stalked back to the corner booth and Draco gave her a wry smile. ‘If you go round trying to make everyone like me you are never going to have time to sit your NEWTs’

Before she could answer Tom had appeared at their table carrying a fresh round of drinks. He placed them down in front of the students. ‘On the house, Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy’ his attempted smile at Draco was a watered-down version of what he had given Hermione, but Draco was nonetheless shocked by the change in his attitude.

‘Are we – that is, is everything okay now?’ Hermione asked as the bartender retreated. _Will he think I was just being interfering? Bossy?_

‘I think we should probably maintain a distance from each other when we are back at school.’ Draco’s tone was hard. ‘I don’t want you caught up in these attacks, people won’t take kindly to us being’ he paused as if considering his words ‘…friends’.

‘You don’t know that, people might come around if they see that we are…friends. Tom certainly did.’ Hermione argued. _Was that what they were, friends?_ Hermione could hear the distress in her voice, betraying her feelings.

‘Yes but the Hogwarts populous is not known for its logical thoughts now are they? The entire school spent several weeks thinking that Harry fucking Potter was the heir of Slytherin in second year.’ Hermione had opened her mouth to argue but Draco continued. ‘besides, what if the attackers see us being overly friendly and decide I must have imperiused you or something and kill me in a blind rage before you have time to catch them? We need to make sure we have the upper hand’

_Well shit. He has a point._ However, the thought of losing the closeness they had developed in the last twenty-four hours was so disappointing Hermione felt tears of frustration well up in her eyes. _Fucking lunatic attackers getting in the way of a normal life, again._ Taking a deep breath Hermione blinked several times to repress her tears and nodded at Draco.

‘Okay. You’re right. We should distance ourselves’ she took a large swallow of her cocktail.

‘Fuck’ Draco said suddenly and cast a disillusionment charm on their booth before shifting to sit next to her. ‘Granger, I meant what I said, it’s safer for us both if we aren’t seen together...but apparently I can’t stand to even be in a bar with you without touching you. I don’t want to actually go without seeing you…’ he cupped her face in his hand, trailing a finger down her jawbone and sending shivers down her spine ‘or touching you…’ his lips were almost touching hers as he continues ‘or kissing you…everywhere’.

Laughing softly in relief Hermione closed the distance between their lips, kissing him softly. ‘Well thank Circe for that. It will just have to be our secret.'

Arriving back at school, feeling rather giddy after two more rounds of Scamander Sours combined with the floo trip, her lips slightly swollen from kissing, Hermione was convinced she had never been happier.

Her smile froze on her face as she took in her surroundings and realised the headmistress was standing in front of her desk as if waiting for her arrival, her arms crossed and a stern look on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this update has taken so long - Coivd is getting pretty serious in the UK and life went a bit tits up. Thanks for your patience.


	14. Party like a Gryffindor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione ends her birthday in the common room. Just a small chapter to round off her day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For any non-Brits 'pissed' means both drunk and angry depending on context. When used in this chapter I was going for drunk.

Hermione heard the whoosh of the flames in the fireplace behind her and moved to one side as Draco stepped gracefully into the office.

‘Miss Granger, Mr Malfoy, you two were expected back some time ago.’ The headmistress looks at them both disapprovingly and Hermione feels a flood of guilt. She had indeed promised McGonagall they would be back before dinner. Casting her eyes around the office, she looks for a clock to tell her just how late she was. McGonagall had made very few changes to the room since Dumbledore’s days. The bookcases still loomed large, and the dark wood desk still sat between the two staircases. However, there were signs of McGonagall here and there. A large picture of the Gryffindor’s holding the Quidditch Cup in sixth year, Ginny and Ron at the front of the team smiling broadly took pride of place on the mantlepiece, and next to it a carriage clock showing them to be over three hours late.

Draco stepped forward ‘I apologise headmistress, the lateness was entirely my fault.’ His sincere tone causes McGonagall to raise an eyebrow, but her expression seems to soften a tiny bit.

‘Well, regardless of _why_ you are late, it has scuppered my plans for a quiet evening.’ McGonagall pauses to clean her glasses and Hermione wonders if she is drawing out the moment on purpose, giving them time to wonder if something had happened in their absence. ‘Mr Potter and Mr Weasley have been to my office three times to enquire as to your arrival. It seems there is a party in Gryffindor common room which is lacking its guest of honour.’ Giving Hermione a weary smile she finishes ‘you best get up there before they set off more fireworks by accident.’

_She had totally forgotten about her plans to see Harry, Ron and Ginny but she absolutely hadn’t wanted a party._ Groaning inwardly, she tried to remember that they were doing a nice thing for her. They wouldn’t have considered that it was always her who had to keep an eye on unruly antics during parties in the common room. _Thank the gods Fred and George aren’t still at school -_ her heart squeezed as she remembered how difficult the twins had made her job as prefect, and at the same time feeling momentarily overwhelmed the loss of Fred. _He had been so full of life._

‘Sorry professor. I’ll go now’ Hermione was moving towards the door when McGonagall spoke again.

‘Mr Malfoy, a moment please.’ Hermione looked towards the headmistress. _Was she going to issue a punishment to Draco because he said he made her late?_ Pausing she tried to decide if she should offer to stay also. But when she looked at Draco he appeared at ease, giving her a small nod to signal he was fine with staying.

As she descended the winding stone staircase Hermione began to worry more. Even if McGonagall didn’t want to punish Draco, he would still be left to get back to Slytherin common room on his own. By the time she reached the bottom step her mind was made up to wait for Draco, no matter how long it took. But only a few minutes later he appeared.

‘You waited?’ he looked surprised to see her, almost like he found it touching that she had wanted to.

Wanting to lighten the mood she responded, ‘Well, I had to Draco, you have all my books’ she looked at the bags in his hand pointedly and he laughed. _He looks so beautiful when he laughs._

Quickly he sorted out their books and handed her two of the three bags. ‘Gone on then, now you have what you needed, you can take your leave of me.’ His laughter had been replaced by a suggestive smirk.

‘Not quite, I am walking you back to the dungeons. Don’t want another injury to befall you.’ Draco opened his mouth, presumably to argue but Hermione tutted at him and continued ‘Don’t even think about arguing. If I miss my party because Madam Pomfrey needs me to tend your wounds that would be a terrible end to my perfect day.’

‘Perfect?’ He looked at her questioningly.

Making sure they were alone in the long corridor Hermione leaned close to him and whispered ‘perfect’ before kissing him softly.

***

It took another forty minutes for Hermione to reach Gryffindor common room. She and Draco had discovered several hidden alcoves in which they could kiss without being seen on the way. She didn’t regret a single second of her lateness. But she had run most of the way up to Gryffidor tower all the same and was rather breathless when she panted ‘ _absolvo_ ’ at the Fat Lady and entered.

A wall of noise hit her almost immediately. Blur’s _Girls & Boys_ was blasting out of the new stereo system Dean had brought to school. Several people near the portrait hole cheered at Hermione’s appearance, while others broke into the first bars of ‘Happy Birthday’ but all singing slightly off time to one another.

Looking around her, Hermione realised it was just NEWT age students still up, the younger ones presumably ushered off to bed and out the way. Everyone looked quite pissed.

‘Mione!’ Ginny, spotting Hermione from across the room, jumped onto a nearby coffee table and launched herself at her friend. ‘Where have you been?!’ She asked ‘We got butter beer and some siren scotch, even some mead. You have some catching up to do, we already started drinking’ she laughed as Ron and Harry approached, choosing to go around the coffee table.

Harry gave her a slightly wonky smile and handed her a glass of red liquid. ‘Raspberry mead, Happy birthday Hermione. Did you have a good time with your parents?’ With Harry’s arrival Ginny disentangled herself from Hermione, giving her boyfriend a kiss and placing his arms firmly around her. Ginny was very touchy-feely when she was drinking. 

Ron leaned in to kiss Hermione’s cheek, his breath smelling like beer. ‘Happy birthday, you missed half the party’ he sounded a bit slurred and half reproachful.

‘You guys really didn’t have to throw me a party. But thank you’ Hermione smiled broadly at all of them. ‘I am sorry I am so late, I didn’t realise the time until w-I, until I got back.’ She had almost said _until we got back_. She was going to have to try harder at this whole secret affair malarkey. Ron and Ginny didn’t seem to notice but Harry shot her a brief questioning look.

Still mildly buzzed from the drinks at the Leaky Hermione decided, for once, to abandon her usual sensible outlook at parties and join in the celebrations properly. She downed her mead, put her bags and coat in the corner and grabbed Ginny’s hand. ‘Lets dance!’ she said as she tugged her towards the area cleared of furniture where Parvati, Neville and Fay were already dancing.

Sometime later, absolutely danced out, Hermione collapsed into an armchair giggling as she watched Fay and Dean, both raised in muggle homes, trying to teach Ginny the macarena. Dean was much better at it then Fay. Harry flopped down on the armrest next to her a few moments later ‘I don’t know where she gets all that energy from’ he said looking at his girlfriend with a smile. ‘I’m knickered after practice today’.

‘She’s also ridiculously coordinated’ Hermione observed as the ginger witch swivelled her hips and jumped like she was a macarena pro.

‘So’ Harry bought his focus back to Hermione ‘good birthday?’

‘ _Great_ birthday’ she replied emphatically.

‘You were with Malfoy weren’t you?’ He sounded curious not accusatory. ‘You did say you were going to keep him safe.’

‘I – yes. He accompanied me to see my parents, and we went to a bookshop’ she admitted.

His green eyes looked thoughtful. ‘There’s something more between you two isn’t there?’

‘He’s so unexpectedly _fun_ Harry.’ Perhaps she should have denied it, but she trusted Harry more than just about anyone in the world. ‘He’s witty and so clever and kind, I had no idea before this year.’ _And just thinking about his kisses turns me on more than actually kissing anyone else ever has._ Hermione kept that thought to herself. Even when the alcohol had loosened her tongue Hermione knew there were some things Harry didn’t need to hear.

‘Good job you got put in that potions lab with him’ Harry observed.

‘Yes’ Hermione agreed ‘Although most of our time has been spent in the hospital wing. All those injuries’ her mood sobered ‘we have to catch whoever is attacking him Harry. _Soon._ ’

‘I’ve had an idea about that actually-‘ Harry began. But at that point Ron and Seamus ambled over from the opposite side of the room where they had been talking to some sixth and seventh years.

‘Alright Hermione?’ Seamus gave her a wide smile before chugging the rest of his drink. Ron’s face was a particularly unflattering shade of pink, which happened when he was angry, embarrassed, or after having too much booze. Hermione looked at him trying to work out what was causing the colouring.

‘Are the sixth years having a good time?’ she enquired.

‘Aye, they are.’ Seamus’ smile grew wider ‘Especially when the girls get to talk to a celebrity like Ronny boy here’ he nudged his friend in the side. _Ah, he was embarrassed. That explained it._ Although looking at the way he threw back his coke, which Hermione assumed had a sprit mixed in, it could also be the booze.

Just then _Roll with it_ by Oasis started blaring through the speakers and before she knew it Hermione had been spun towards the dance floor with Seamus, Harry and Ron following suit. _Parties are pretty fun when you don’t worry about telling people off for rule breaking_ Hermione reflected as she danced and laughed with the rest of the Gryffindors, not making it to bed until McGonagall threatened them all with detention around 1am.


	15. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are friendships blooming between certain Gryffindors and Slytherins?

Draco, Blaise and Theo had woken pretty early on Sunday morning, even though they had stayed up talking later than usual the night before. Blaise had tried unsuccessfully to get Draco to confess to just how far thing between him and Hermione had gone. _Thanks to Nott telling him about spying her knickers on the floor by my hospital bed._ Draco was well aware that while Theo would rather die than give up his friend’s secrets to anyone else, among the three of them he saw no reason not to gossip like an old witch.

In return Blaise and Draco had encouraged Theo not to give them quite so many intimate details of his latest conquest in the Ravenclaw quidditch changing rooms. Theo had got to ‘so they were facing the wall, legs spread wide and such a perfect ass, I couldn’t resist licking up …’ when Blaise had had enough and cast a silencing charm on him.

The boys were halfway through their fried breakfasts when the older Gryffindor students started to make their way into the great hall in dribs and drabs, looking decidedly worse for wear. Draco kept flicking his eyes to the doors until finally he caught a glimpse of Hermione and repressed a smile.

Her wild hair had been scrapped up into a messy bun, and she wore dark leggings and an oversized knitted sweater with a large letter H on it. There were dark circles under her eyes and she was paler than usual. She still looked beautiful and Draco wished he could look after her in her clearly hungover state. As she sat down next to Ginny, who appeared surprisingly bright and well rested, Hermione looked towards Draco and gave him a small grin.

Pansy dropped into the seat next to Blaise, picking up a slice of toast. ‘What time do you call this?’ Theo’s voice was teasing ‘there’s hungover Gryffindor’s with more punctuality’.

‘It takes time to look this good you know Nott’ the witch flicked her dark shining hair and winked at him playfully.

‘Worth every second Pans’ Blaise complimented her with a wink. Draco noticed Pans looked momentarily flustered at his words. _Pans never looks like that._ Draco watched his friends for further signs of serious flirting, but Pansy began asking Theo about his weekend without looking at Blaise again.

Before he could come to any solid conclusions about Pans and Blaise the owls arrived. Being Sunday there were only a few, official deliveries always coming on a Saturday it just left the odd note from a parent. Draco didn’t expect anything as his mother had sent him a letter just a couple of days ago but to his surprise one of the Hogwarts owls dropped a small letter on his plate, narrowly missing what was left of his breakfast.

‘Gross, I think Seamus just puked behind that statue’ Pansy observed, looking towards the Gryffindor table but Draco didn’t respond, he recognised the handwriting on his note.

_Draco, can you and your friends meet us in our potions lab after breakfast? H_

Without looking across to the Gryffindor table Draco folded the note and put it in his shirt pocket over his heart. Just in case she was watching.

***

Hermione didn’t feel that much better after breakfast. All the food seemed so greasy. It was a wonder the student body wasn’t obese given the unlimited food and the fact that the only physical workout they got was optional quidditch and walking between classes.

She had tried to subtly get Harry to the potions lab without Ginny or Ron. While Ron had opted to head back to the common room with Seamus, Ginny had insisted on coming with them. Harry had shot Hermione a quick shrug when Ginny wasn’t looking. He was probably happy to have his girlfriend in on the next part of their plan so he didn’t have to lie to her. As far as Hermione was concerned, if Ginny could just cease singing Supergrass she didn’t care how she reacted to her and Harry’s plan to find Draco’s would be murderer.

‘ _We are young, we run free, in out teens_..’ Ginny was dancing gracefully down the corridor.

‘Gin’ Harry wrapped her long hair around his hand, tugging her gently towards him ‘how are you not feeling last night?’ he kissed her jaw before releasing her hair, looking at her quizzically.

‘Maybe it’s just my youth, you two are so much older’ she grinned at their unimpressed expressions. ‘Okay, I actually stopped drinking pretty much when Hermione arrived, I was just having too much fun dancing!’

‘Urgh, why didn’t I do that?’ Hermione groaned as they made their way down to the dungeons.

‘By the way, what are we doing this morning?’ the ginger witch asked, as she continued to hum the tune to _Alright_.

‘I’ll explain it all when into get to the lab’ Hermione promised her as the rounded the corner where the suit of armour stood, guarding entry. ‘Mulpepper’ she told the armour, and it readily jumped aside for them.

Hermione had watched Draco and his friends leave the great hall just a few minutes after he put her note in his pocket, so she was unsurprised to see them all in the lab already. Ginny’s face revealed far more shock. The room felt rather cramped with seven of them in there and Hermione realized that all eyes were on her. _I really, really wish I wasn’t so hungover._ Hermione sighed as she tried to gather her thoughts.

Before she could start the meeting, Draco moved towards the cauldron and filled a vial with an unappealing grey liquid ‘hangover cure?’ he offered it to Hermione, who took it with surprise. ‘Potter, Wesley?’ he asked the others. Harry regarded Hermione before answering.

She sniffed the vial, it smelled like burnt toast. Meeting Draco’s eyes she downed it. _Yuck!_ It tasted like charcoal and she coughed as it hit her chest. But after a moment her head was clear.

‘Oh my gods, that’s amazing! What was that?’ Hangover cures were notoriously hard to brew, and usually didn’t work very well. Hermione had once given Bill some Ibuprofen when he had had a few too many firewhiskey shots the night before and he had sworn blind muggle medicine was just as good for hangovers as potions.

‘That right there is the Malfoy family recipe Granger, developed over many centuries it is only available to the privileged few’ Blaise answered before Draco could. Harry took a vial from Draco and immediately looked better for it. Ginny declined, sounding rather smug as she explained she knew when to stop.

‘Do you reckon this is the first time the potion has been shared with non-Slytherins?’ Theo mused as he leaned back precariously on a stool.

Draco snorted ‘Highly unlikely, my great aunt Lacerta was known for her outlandish jazz parties back in the 1920s. Pretty sure her long term lover was a muggleborn Hufflepuff.’ The Slytherins took this better than Hermione would have expected. Pansy, who had been quietly observing everyone, gave a small smile, while Nott and Zabini laughed.

With a clear head Hermione was ready to start the meeting. ‘Alright then, we are here to try and figure out who is trying to kill Draco’ she announced, eyeing Ginny, the only one who didn’t already know this.

‘When exactly did you start calling him _Draco_?’ Ginny asked with her eyes narrowed towards her friend.

_Of course, she would pick up on that, rather than focusing on the larger plan._ Hermione had no idea what to say. She and Draco hadn’t talked about what they might say to their friends. Hermione met Draco’s gaze. ‘Er, I don’t…’ she began.

‘Where have you been Weasley? These two have been boinking in the hospital wing since the start of term’ Blaise reported in a rather bored tone.

‘Boinking?’ Harry, Ginny and Pansy all exclaimed at the same time. Hermione thought Pansy looked surprised and possibly a tiny but impressed, but not angry as she might have expected. Ginny was clearly astounded, Harry looked less surprised, Hermione decided he was more horrified at the prospect of hearing details of his best friend’s sex life.

_If it was possible to die of embarrassment then these would be my last moments on earth_ Hermione reflected as she tried to think of a response.

‘Zabini I’ve read articles by Rita Skeeter with more truth to them’ Draco shot a warning look at his friend. ‘Now would you all mind awfully if we focused on the whole me not being murdered aspect of the plan?’ giving Hermione a nod to encourage her to continue, Draco leaned against the bookcase, looking totally relaxed.

Hermione took her cue and began the meeting again, outlining the next step of her plans to the group. Ginny had looked surprised as Hermione explained the volume of attacks Draco had suffered in the last couple of weeks, but didn’t say anything. A few points of the plan met with disagreement, primarily that Draco wasn’t willing to sit in his dorm waiting for everyone else, who actually had something to do, ‘ _like some helpless Hufflepuff’_ and Harry wasn’t keen, at first, with the groupings. When those points had been ironed out and there were no further objections to the plan Hermione looked towards Pansy and Blaise, who were sitting next to each other on a desk, ‘Did you finish the list of potential suspects?’

Pansy hopped down from the desk and withdrew a scroll from a bag on the floor. ‘I colour coded the ink to show who I thought might be the most likely, cross referenced with any knowledge we have about moody or violent behaviour.’

Hermione looked over the list, there were three columns of names, written in elegant looping cursive. As she skimmed the document Hermione picked out snippets ‘ _Margot Harrison, sixth year, Luscious fired her father in ’96_ The orange ink indicated Pansy thought they were a possibility that needed more investigation _…Max Paulson, fifth year, Draco forced to perform hexes on him by the Carrows_ shining red ink indicated Paulson was high on her list of suspects…Hermione snorted in amusement as she read an entry in black ink, meaning it was unlikely but worth noting _Nathan Greenstone, fourth year, founding member of the Harry Potter Appreciation Club, obsessive tendencies, anti-Slytherin._

‘The Harry Potter Appreciation Club?’ She asked arching her brow at an embarrassed looking Harry.

‘I think Ron mentioned something about that…’ his face flamed.

‘He’s actually enticed quite a few of the younger years to his meetings. They have a weekly newsletter and everything’ Pansy explained gleefully.

‘Although they told us Slytherins were not eligible for membership’ Blaise added, a look of feigned sorrow on his face, causing everyone to laugh.

‘This is great Pansy, thank you. Harry, Ginny and I will go over it and see if we can add anything or if anything jumps out. In the meantime Draco just needs to manage to go the day without being beaten up or hexed and we will be in a much stronger position’ Hermione gave Pansy a nervous smile, still not sure quite where she stood with her. But Pansy returned the smile warmly.

‘No problem, we are quite keen on Draco not being murdered after all’ she smirked at the blond wizard.

‘Would else would supply us with hangover potion after a heavy night eh?’ Blaise stood and started towards the door, ‘you coming back to the common room Draco? Pans and I are going to do some reading to try and get head in Flitwick’s class’

‘I’m going to work on my potions for a while yet’ Draco began clearing away the ingredients he had used in the hangover cure so he would have space to work. Hermione noticed he didn’t look in her direction.

She looked over at her friends ‘think you are up for some quidditch Potter?’ Ginny’s eyes sparkled at Harry. They made their way to the door with Ginny teasing him about how she was going to outfly him. At the door she turned back to Hermione ‘we are going to talk later’ she gave her friend a pointed look before departing.

Draco and Hermione both turned to Theo, who was still leaning back balancing his weight on two of the four legs of the stool. ‘I was hoping you two might help me practice my potions, there’s a few I keep getting wrong…’

_Fuck, she had hoped she might get to speak to Draco alone._ Hermione looked up and caught Draco giving Theo a death glare.

Theo chuckled ‘Just wanted to see the look on your faces, I’m off to find my own study buddy, if you know what I mean’ he blew them both a kiss as he left the room.

‘That boy must have shagged half of our year by now’ Draco muttered as the door closed behind him.

‘Which half?’ Hermione asked as she slowly walked towards Draco, who had begun organising his research notes, but stopped when he saw her approach.

‘The half with questionable morals?’ the warmth in Draco’s tone let Hermione know he didn’t really think badly of his friend. Hermione had never felt so confident with a boy before, but she could still feel her heartrate increase as she stopped in front of him, tilting her head slightly to look up at him. 

His grey eyes never leaving hers, Draco leaned down and placed a hand on the side of her neck, his thumb gently stroking the sensitive skin just below her ear. A small sigh of pleasure escaped her as Draco’s lips met hers in a slow kiss which might have lasted ten seconds or ten minutes. Hermione lost all perception of time.

When they finally broke apart Draco asked tucked a stray curl back into her messy bun, a gesture Hermione found to be extremely affecting, and asked her about her potions project.

As she explained how she was looking to mix muggle and magical treatments in order to help people suffering with PTSD Hermione was delighted to find that Draco had a knack for asking questions in a way that made her re-examine her assumptions about potions and spark new ideas. They sat side by side, both making notes from their new muggle medical books, occasionally sharing their ideas.

Every so often Draco would pause in his note taking to touch Hermione’s hand, or kiss her neck, it showed how wrapped up they were in their projects that these gestures only led to full on snogging a handful of times as the morning turned to late afternoon.

‘Almost dinner time’ Draco said stretching. Hermione noticed his untucked shirt rise just above his black jeans as he did this, showing a sliver of his hard abs. _What was I thinking wasting this time with studying?_ Hermione inwardly chastised herself. Following her gaze Draco gave her his trademark smirk.

‘Shall we walk up together?’ Hermione asked as she packed her books and notes into her satchel.

‘Actually, I want to go via Slytherin, dump my books, catch Blaise and Pans before they head up’

‘Okay, I will walk you over there before I head up’ She smiled up at him, ready to leave the lab. Draco rolled his eyes at her.

‘Granger, it’s two corridors away, I have never been attacked this close to the common room, I have my wand, and my wits.’ He kissed her forehead.

‘But-‘ she started to disagree.

‘I don’t need a babysitter’ he told her, each word punctuated with a kiss. Hermione felt her will to argue with him diminishing with each touch of his lips. They left the lab, entering the empty corridor. Hermione was still trying to decide if she should insist on walking Draco to Slytherin when he said ‘There is one thing I need though…’ she gave him a puzzled look ‘I am on the lookout for a brave and beautiful Gryffindor … girlfriend. So if you can think of anyone do let me know’ before she could react Draco had winked at her and strode off towards his common room.

_Draco Malfoy just asked her to be his girlfriend._ Hermione barely took in her route to the Great Hall. Her feet took her there on autopilot while she replayed Draco’s work over in her head. She felt like she was bursting with excited, nervous energy. So far, being nineteen was fucking awesome. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has waited so patiently for the next chapter. I really appreciate all your lovely comments, which motivate me to keep going! :-)


	16. The best laid plans…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione's planning goes out the window.

Hermione was too excited to feel hungry as she took in the Gryffindor table, heaving with food. Admittedly the fact that it was steak and kidney pie instead of, say, a stir fry didn’t help matters. But today even the outdated menu options couldn’t dim her good mood.

Ginny plonked herself next to Hermione, rested her hand on her chin and gave her a wicked grin. ‘Okay Granger, spill! I need to know everything’.

Very aware of the close proximity of Neville, Seamus and Ron Hermione muttered in a low tone ‘I promise I will tell you, but please not here’

‘And why not? Blaise was kidding, wasn’t he? Are you friends now? More? What’s happening?’ Ginny’s voice rose gradually with each question. Harry eyed them both from across the table.

‘It’s not, erm, it isn’t … some stuff has … look please don’t question me about it till we are alone, I am not comfortable talking about physical stuff at the dinner table’ her cheeks flaming, Hermione focused on loading her plate with carrots and potatoes to avoid Ginny’s eyes.

‘Merlin Hermione!’ Ginny’s response was so loud it drew glances from several people. Including Ron.

‘What’s going on?’ he asked around a mouthful of steak and kidney.

Ginny actually looked too shocked to speak for a moment but Harry came to their rescues with practiced ease ‘Hermione is under the impression that the Falmouth Falcons are known for their good sportsmanship’ he rolled his eyes towards his friend before quickly continuing to engage him in quidditch talk ‘do you think the Cannons can beat the Wimborne Wasps next week? I heard their new beater is out of this world’

As the boys continued to discuss upcoming matches, Hermione gave Ginny a nervous glance, but found her friends expression had transformed from shock to amusement, and _possibly even a bit of admiration?_ ‘Later, I promise, I’ll tell you everything’ _well,_ she mused, _Everything I can without getting too explicit._

Her mind wondered back to their conversation not half an hour ago. He was on the lookout for a brave and beautiful girlfriend. _He wanted her to be his girlfriend. If they could just figure out who was out to get him, then there would be no reason to keep secrets. They could openly date._ Hermione briefly pictured them walking hand in hand around the lake, or going for a drink at the Three Broomsticks.

She looked over at the Slytherin table and was surprised to see Blaise, Theo and Pansy sat at one end without Draco. Surely, he should have arrived by now? The main course was almost over. A trickle of dread ran down her spine just as a small owl landed by her untouched dinner.

In her haste to remove the letter Hermione grasped the owl too hard and it gave a small hoot of annoyance. Without pausing she unfurled he note, her hard hammering as she recognised Madam Pomphrey’s handwriting.

_Dear Hermione, terribly sorry to interrupt your dinner, but when you get chance would you mind coming to the hospital wing? Mr Malfoy has found himself missing some important bones and he refuses to let me treat him. Don’t worry, it’s not life threatening. Do have pudding! Poppy._

She needed to go, right now. There was no chance she was going to sit around and have pudding! Although her heart was hammering, she realised nobody aside from Ginny was paying her much attention. She quickly passed the note to her friend and whispered ‘Can you find a way to get Harry and the Slytherins to meet in the hospital wing after dinner?’

Ginny nodded, seeming considerably less concerned than Hermione at Madam Pomfrey’s note, spooning some trifle into her bowl. ‘Don’t worry, Pomfrey said it’s all okay’ she reassured her.

Nodding, Hermione grabbed her satchel and left the hall, repressing the urge to run all the way to the hospital wing.

***

Slughorn had found Draco just a few moments after his attack. This time he was sure it was more than one person, given how quickly it happened, although they had cast the spells at his back so he hadn’t seen anyone. The attackers had opted to repeat some classic spells from the term so far. _Perhaps they viewed these as their greatest hits? Or perhaps they were just too lazy to come up with anything new._

Either way, as Horace had rounded the corner from his office on his way to dinner, he was met with the unexpected sight of Draco Malfoy sprawled across the cold flagstones totally devoid of bones in his legs, horns protruding from his forehead, skilfully undoing a bat-bogey hex.

‘My dear boy!’ Slughorn exclaimed, ‘How did this happen?’

Unable to stand the look of pity in the professors’ eyes, Draco deflected the question, requesting help to the hospital wing. Slughorn cast a featherlight charm and a hover charm on him before slinging his arm under Draco’s shoulders and supporting him through the many corridors and staircases to Madam Pomfrey.

As soon as she saw Draco and Slughorn enter, Madam Pomfrey had directed them to what Draco was beginning to think of as ‘his’ bed in the far corner of the ward. Following them over Pomfrey had magicked away his horns with a quick flick of her wand _he was going to have to ask her to teach him how to do that_ and began checking him for concealed hexes.

‘Would you mind asking Granger to assist?’ Draco asked her in his most polite tone ‘I just know she was keen to try out her new Skelegro brew…’ fully expecting to see pursed lips and a frown from the healer, Draco was surprised when she agreed immediately to owl her.

‘May I have a word please Poppy?’ Professor Slughorn indicated that he wanted to talk to her away from Draco. Stepping away from the bed, Pomfrey drew the curtains to afford Draco some privacy. They did not, however, stop him from hearing some of the discussion taking place in hushed tones on the other side of the fabric.

Horace sounded pissed off. ‘unacceptable’ ‘prejudice against the Slytherin house’ and ‘action must be taken’ filtered through to Draco.

Madam Pomfrey’s voice was lower and he couldn’t make out words, but she didn’t sound like she was disagreeing with him. Not long after, Slughorn put his head round the curtain to wish Draco a quick recovery and Pomfrey left to owl Hermione.

_Merlin, what was I thinking asking her out like that? Why would she want a boyfriend who can’t defend themselves?_ Draco was angry that he had proposed such a ludicrous idea. _Who did he think he was kidding? Not to mention the fact that she deserved someone who hadn’t had the dark lord as a fucking house guest._

Before he could berate himself much more he heard hurried footsteps coming down the ward and the curtains were wrenched open.

‘What happened?’ Hermione panted, looking him up and down to try and figure out his injuries.

Draco lifted one floppy leg, followed by the other, watching her for signs of pity or revulsion.

‘Fucking wankers’ _Gods she had a dirty mouth when she was angry._ After he explained what happened she asked him if he had been rude to Madam Pomfrey.

‘I was charming and respectful’ Hermione raised her eyebrows as if she didn’t believe him ‘I merely suggested you help out because of your adaptations to the Skelegro potion’

‘My – of course, the new potion. I don’t know if you should be a guinea pig though, it might not work…’ she bit her lip looking nervous.

‘Sod that, the regular stuff is atrocious, don’t make me take it again if there’s an alternative’

Still looking uncertain Hermione promised he could try it as long as Madam Pomfrey agreed, and headed over to her office to discuss treatment.

***

Madam Pomfrey had triple checked Hermione’s potion notes against her _Healers Health Potions Encyclopaedia_ and was confident it wouldn’t pose a risk. ‘If this is successful Hermione, you will need to patent it immediately’ she gave her a warm hug ‘I can tell my dear, that you are going to continue to change the world for the better’

Returning to Draco’s bed, Hermione felt that she could see her career path taking shape as hope bloomed in her chest. _It’s very unlikely the potion will cause him harm. We just have to see make sure the extra ingredients haven’t altered the effectiveness of the bone regrowth…_ trying to plot for all eventualities it took a moment for Hermione to notice that Draco was no longer alone as she reached the far end of the ward.

‘You think she won’t agree?’ Pansy’s voice rang out as Hermione arrived at Draco’s bed. Most of the assembled group had conjured up chairs around the bed, apart from Theo, who was reclining at the end of the bed, having moved Draco’s boneless legs out of his way.

‘Who won’t agree to what?’ Hermione enquired.

‘The new plan’ Blaise answered

‘We thought we might as well go ahead and do it without you and Malfoy’ Harry said with trepidation, clearly expecting a fight.

Ginny jumped in to support him ‘Your plan was great Hermione, but really, breaking into Filch’s office doesn’t need all seven of us’

‘Yes, there were rather a lot of contingency plans given that all Harry really needs to do is pull on his magic cloak and _Alohomora_ the squibs door’ Theo didn’t look up as he amused himself bending Draco’s ankle in ways it absolutely shouldn’t bend.

‘But Pansy and Blaise are still going to create a diversion as you suggested, by the astronomy tower, and I am going to alert Filch as prefect’ Ginny continued explaining.

_Great_ Hermione thought, _the thing that brings Slytherins and Gryffindors together after eight years is the consensus that I am a total control freak._ She looked towards Draco, the only one not to say anything. His smile was relaxed, as if he found the whole thing rather ridiculous. _Draco is the only one who seems to have figured out my over the top plan was just an excuse to make sure they all felt included._

‘You seriously think you can just change the plan like that?’ she asked, faking outrange.

‘We thought…’ Harry began.

A smile cracked her stern features, unable to keep a straight face ‘Jolly good then Potter, best get on with it then. Let us know how it goes’ Hermione magicked herself a cushioned armchair and tucked her feet underneath herself as she pulled a book from her satchel.

Harry and Ginny laughed in surprise, the Slytherins smiled, but Hermione couldn’t help noticing that they were less shocked by her willingness to relinquish control of a plan. Perhaps because they were only just getting to know her properly. She certainly felt less uptight since the war ended.

Harry, Ginny, Blaise and Pansy all stood, departing with well wishes for Draco and promising to check in with them as soon as Harry had the Marauders Map back in his possession.

Hermione’s eyes flicked back to Theo, who was still sitting on the bed, looking quite comfortable. ‘Aren’t you going to help?’ she enquired.

‘Potter said he didn’t want my expertise’ Theo pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.

‘I think what he actually said was that your offer to seduce anyone who approached Filch’s office was nice but not needed’ Draco rolled his eyes at his friend.

__

_I guess I won’t be able to talk to Draco about the whole girlfriend thing after all._ Hermione repressed a sign of frustration. But Draco didn’t look like he minded.

‘Well in that case you can be a witness to the trial run of my new Skelegro potion’ Hermione conceded ‘you can run get Pomfrey if he sprouts extra bones or something’

‘You don’t fool me Granger, you won’t have messed this up’ Theo responded with unusual sincerity and Draco smiled in agreement.

The boys were right to have faith in Hermione. She had administered the potion, which Draco said tasted like stale sherbet lemons ‘a marked improvement on the original’ and not only did the bones appear to be growing faster than normal, but Draco had described only a mild tingling like pins and needles.

Pomfrey had come to check on Draco, nodding in approval and leaving Hermione to monitor him. The three of them passed the time waiting for Harry and the others to return by playing exploding snap.

‘Really Granger, you are the most beastly cheat’ Theo whined as she won the hand.

But before she could respond the hospital ward doors opened, the others had returned.

Hermione expected Harry and the rest to look happy, smug even, but as they drew closer Hermione realised none of them were in a good mood.

_Merlin, they can’t have got caught, they are all here. What happened?_ Her mind started conjuring outlandish scenarios but before she got very far Harry answered her unasked question.

‘The map wasn’t there, Ron lied.’


	17. The Truth Will Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some truths will be revealed, but possibly not the ones you were expecting

_Ron lied_. It took Hermione a moment to realise what this meant. _How the fuck were they going to catch the fuckers attempting to kill her almost boyfriend without the map?_

‘Well fuck’ Theo said. Hermione couldn’t have put it better herself.

‘We came up with a few theories on the walk back here’ Harry looked miserable.

‘Go on then, enlighten us’ Theo cleared away the exploding snap. He had moved from the bed to a seat for the card game, but with the arrival of the others he had clearly decided the bed was preferable. Unable to move Draco’s legs as he had when they were boneless, Theo simply whipped out his wand and enlarged the bed, adding a green velvet cushioned footboard to lean against and settled himself facing towards Draco.

Hermione was still sitting in the worn armchair. Harry, Blaise, Ginny and Pansy took seats around the bed, all looking rather deflated. 

‘Best case scenario, he lost the map and didn’t want to admit it’ Harry suggested ‘Wouldn’t be the first time, he lost my invisibility cloak the Burrow a couple of summers ago and insisted the ghoul in the attic must have taken it’

‘Worst case scenario, he’s actually involved in the plans to off Draco.’ Pansy’s words dripped with venom, and Hermione hoped for Ron’s sake she was wrong.

‘Or perhaps the fuckwit accidentally left the map unattended and the unknown person stole it from him’ Ginny was clearly annoyed at her brother, and tellingly hadn’t argued against Pansy. _Perhaps they already did their arguing on the way up here_ Hermione rationalised.

Draco spoke for the first time since the others had returned ‘So, you need to figure out why Weasley lied, and how much, if anything, he knows about the plot to kill me, presumably without giving away the fact that you are trying to stop whoever they are?’

‘And make sure you aren’t killed in the meantime’ Blaise added.

‘That’s it, I need a drink’ Pansy declared, producing a bottle of clear liquid out of her robes and taking a swig.

Theo grinned and mimicked Pansy, a hipflask appearing from his back pocket. Blaise rolled his eyes and grabbed a green bottle from his bag.

‘So just to be clear, is it a prerequisite for Slytherins to be alcoholics or…?’ Ginny looked amused.

‘It’s part of the motto’ Draco relied, deadpan ‘Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, and we are always prepared to party’

Pansy nudged Ginny, who was next to her ‘Gin?’

‘Yeah?’ Ginny responded looking somewhat surprised that Pansy was using her nickname.

Rolling her eyes Pansy clarified ‘it’s gin, in the bottle, want some?’

_What is happening here?_ ‘Sorry, have we all somehow decided the answer to discovering if our best friend is somehow involved in trying to kill Draco is to get _drunk?_ ’ Hermione, mind still processing all the possibilities for how to protect Draco and find the attempted killer was shocked that nobody else seemed as worried as her.

Ginny, who had taken the bottle from Pansy, shot Hermione an apologetic look as she swallowed her mouthful of gin. 

‘Draco will be here all night correct?’ Pansy asked ‘Pomfrey will make sure he’s okay, Blaise and I can come back before breakfast and collect him, one of us can stick to him like _glue_ tomorrow while you Gryffindor’s figure out what’s happening with the less agreeable Weasley, and we can come up with a new plan to catch the fuckers once we know what we are dealing with.’ She shrugged ‘if it turns out Weasley knows anything about this, he seems dumb enough to let slip and help us figure it out’.

‘Meanwhile we have an hour till curfew, we might as well celebrate the momentous occasion of our two noble houses working together to defeat an enemy’ Blaise raised his bottle in a cheers motion before taking a gulp and passing it to Draco.

Draco gave her a devilish smile. ‘Well nurse Granger, am I allowed to partake, or will this affect my healing process?’ Meeting Draco’s gaze distracted her from the loop of worrying possibilities which had been careening round her mind. _Sod it. Why not?_

‘One way to find out Malfoy, but I take no responsibility if it stunts your bones’ Theo stretched slightly to pass his flask to Hermione. She drank without question _if you had told me a month ago I would be drinking unknown liquid offered to me by a Slytherin…_ She coughed slightly as the taste hit her throat. ‘peach schnapps Theo? I had you pegged as more of an Ogden’s man’

‘Oh, I’m full of surprises Granger’ he winked at her ‘I wouldn’t say no to a whisky, but you can always rely on Zabini for that, I like to provide variety.’

A few minutes later everyone had shared a drink, and there were quiet conversations happening between the former enemies. Blaise and Pansy were telling Ginny about their latest muggle studies lesson ‘I swear down Ginny, they have these computer boxes and you go inline to write messages to people on the other side of the world – instantly’ Blaise explained.

‘ _on_ line, darling not inline’ Pans rolled her eyes ‘it’s all a bit slow, getting connected and I still think the floo network is a much easier way of communicating but it’s fairly impressive what these muggles come up with’

‘and what were you saying about microwaves?’ Ginny prompted, looking fascinated by the whole thing. Hermione realised that although she and Harry had been brought up in the muggle world the pureblood Weasley’s knew very little about muggle technology, and unlike the Slytherins, Ginny was not required to take Muggle Studies.

Meanwhile Theo and Harry were discussing quidditch. More specifically Theo was trying and failing to get Harry to reveal how many players he had seen in a state of undress in the changing room after a game. ‘Theo is that _all_ you think about?’ Harry laughed ‘if you want to find out then I suggest you join a quidditch team’

While their friends talked Hermione felt Draco’s eyes on her. She looked up and found him giving her a suggestive look while nobody was watching. It was subtle, but there seemed to be a passion in his grey eyes as his gaze trailed from her eyes to linger on her lips and then further down. _He is totally imagining me without clothes on, isn’t he?_ Hermione felt her heart rate speed up. Casually she glanced at the others to make sure nobody was paying her attention before looking back at her blond wizard. She bit her lip and moved her hand to trail across her throat, hoping that if anyone else noticed it would just look like she was fiddling with her necklace.

***

_Temptress witch_ Draco swallowed as he watched Hermione’s hand caress her throat. He couldn’t help but picture his hand replacing hers. _Perhaps she would enjoy his hand on her neck as he thrust into her…_

Thankfully before that train of thought got too far, _it wouldn’t do to get a boner when Theo was on the bed with him after all,_ Pansy and Ginny drew the groups attention.

‘We have decided -’ Pans began, with a glint in her eye ‘to play a drinking game in order to get to know each other better’

‘Two truths and a lie’ Ginny explained. Draco couldn’t help but notice Pans and Weasley had almost identical looks in their eyes when they were planning something devious. ‘Slytherins on one team and Gryffindors on the other, you have to figure out which is the lie out of three statements. If you do then the other team has to do a shot, if you get it wrong then your team does the shots’

Theo readily agreed and Blaise proclaimed ‘Slytherins are cunning, we can tell when we are being lied to, do your worst.’ Quickly everyone moved seats so that Harry and Ginny joined Hermione on one side of Draco’s bed, but a little further away than they had been, while Theo moved to sit side by side with Draco, and Pansy and Blaise pushed their chairs closer to the bed.

Harry pulled a sickle out of his pocket. ‘Heads or tails?’ he asked the Slytherins. Pansy called out tails as Harry flipped the coin and caught it against the back of his hand. ‘Tails it is, do you want to go first?’

After a brief discussion Pansy, who seemed to have taken on the role of spokesperson for her team, replied ‘nope, we want to see what you got first’

Draco watched as the three Gryffindors put their heads together. Hermione cast _muffliato_ to stop them being overheard. While his friends discussed what they knew about the Gryffindors which they might try to lie about ‘ _Did Hermione get all O’s in her OWLs?’ ‘What was Harry’s relation to the muggles that raised him?_ ’ Draco was focused on Hermione’s face. He didn’t glace at Harry or Ginny to try and gage what they might be saying. He didn’t really care. He just loved that thoughtful look she had when she was considering a course of action. She smiled slightly at her friends, nodding at something. _Fucking adorable._

Harry was the first one to speak ‘I saw professor Snape’s underwear’ he announced with a totally straight face.

‘I once told Voldemort about my fantasy wedding to Harry’ Ginny said with a wink at Harry ‘including the wedding night’

‘I’m Draco’s girlfriend’ Hermione said simply, looking smug.

_‘fuck me’_ Theo exhaled. ‘I don’t even know where to start with that’

‘Easy’ said Blaise ‘Ginny was possessed by Voldemort in second year, and that was through a dairy wasn’t it? So she’s got to be telling the truth’ he looked over at Ginny, who wasn’t giving anything away.

‘And of course, Draco call tell us if Granger is telling the truth’ Pansy rolled her eyes ‘didn’t think that one through, did you?’ she looked at Draco expectantly. They all did.

_Did this mean-? I did ask her out, is this her answer? Or is this a trick to win the game?_ Draco couldn’t really process the possibility that Hermione really did want to be his girlfriend. _But on the other hand, she isn’t mean enough to reject the offer via a drinking game_. He was confident in her inability to be unkind. That swung it.

‘Yes. Hermione is my girlfriend’ he felt his cheeks flush slightly at the admittance. He looked at Hermione to see she was also blushing slightly, but looking immensely pleased, like she had just won some great prize, when it was of course the other way around.

It took a moment for things to calm down after that. Blaise decided they should all drink to that, and bottles were passed around while Theo clapped Draco on the back and whispered ‘You lucky git’ with a smile. Even Pansy seemed pleased. Draco wished he had been paying more attention to Potter and Weasley’s expression when Hermione had told them. He wondered if they had been surprised.

‘That settles it then’ Blaise announced with glee. ‘Potter is the liar, he never saw Snape’s underwear – and quite frankly, thank Merlin for that – I knew Gryffindors would be terrible liars’

‘Actually’ Potter couldn’t hide his smile ‘I _did_ see Snape’s underwear… although it’s not a memory I treasure, it was his memory actually. I accidentally used legilimency on him’. 

Pansy gave a wicked laugh and Draco smiled ‘As if he needed a reason you hate you more’

‘So, Ginny was lying? But the diary…’ Blaise looked both surprised and frustrated. Although he took a swig of whisky and passed the bottle to the others, who followed suit.

‘I did confess to the diary, and therefore Voldemort, that I fancied the pants off Potter, but I was so sure he would never look twice at me, that I didn’t ever progress to imagining our wedding. I think I spent most of the time describing in detail how much I admired his messy hair and likening his green eyes to a fresh pickled toad’ Ginny looked totally chilled out about admitting this. _Probably isn’t as embarrassing when the boy in question is now head over heels in love with you._ Draco thought.

‘Oh yes, I’ve been there’ agreed Theo ‘my diaries used to contain detailed descriptions of my infatuations and desires… of course now I’ve matured they tend to describe what I get up to with those people instead’

‘Did you ever write about me?’ Pans asked with open curiosity.

‘Oh yes darling, you got pages and pages of my diary in second year’ Pansy smiled at him and blew him a kiss.

‘Wait, did you two…?’ Blaise looked almost annoyed ‘you never said’ he accused Theo.

‘Fantasy only’ Theo put his hand to his heart and looked forlorn for a second ‘so you wouldn’t be treading on any toes mate’ he beamed at Blaise.

‘Don’t know what you mean’ said Blaise gruffly, ‘let’s play our round shall we?’ Draco couldn’t help noticing that Pansy looked delighted. _Blaise clearly fancies her, wonder how long it will take them to get together?_ He wondered.

‘Come on man, focus’ Theo nudged him and they began to discuss what lies they could tell in hushed voices even after the _muffliato_ was cast.

***

Hermione had hardly listened to the conversation around her. _Draco Malfoy is my boyfriend_ was loop the looping around her mind. _There were a lot of possibilities, more trips to bookstores, nights spend studying together in the library, other things they might get up to in the library when nobody else was around…. Not to mention her delight that Ginny and Harry had accepted this news without too much shock._

‘Okay we’re ready’ Hermione was brought back to the present with Pansy’s announcement.

‘When we practiced defeating the boggart in third year, mine took the form of a bride in a wedding dress’ Blaise gave no hint of emotion when delivering the statement.

‘Last week I slept with both the Hufflepuff beaters at the same time’ Theo smirked broadly as he spoke.

‘Last year I kissed Goyle. Sober.’ Pansy managed to keep her expression neutral.

‘I don’t know who the Hufflepuff beaters actually are’ Hermione admitted, looking at Harry and Ginny for guidance.

‘Andrew Stokes and Maria Edmonds, and they are actually dating each other’ Harry supplied.

‘Merlin, does that make Theo’s statement less likely or more likely?’ Hermione wondered aloud. She didn’t know enough about threesomes or Andrew and Maria and was ready to question the others, but Ginny looked rather enthralled with the idea.

‘So how did that even work, you know, practically? Who was where? Who did what? How did you even get them to agree?’ she questioned.

‘Lord Weasley don’t encourage him for goodness sake, the man has no shame’ Blaise implored her. But it was too late.

‘Getting them to agree was easy, I came across them getting off with each other on one of the hidden balconies on the fifth floor when I was looking for somewhere to have a cigarette. We got talking. I pointed out that they were both fit as fuck… I had heard a rumour that Stokes was bi, which turned out to be true… and they are both pretty adventurous. Besides, how could anyone say no to this?’ he smirked gesturing to himself ‘to answer your other questions we all did all sorts of stuff to each other. Lasted several hours’ Theo closed his eyes as if savouring them memory ‘if you want the details I can always lend you my diary’

‘Okay, so Blaise, your biggest fear is what? Commitment?’ Harry asked, seeming keen to move the conversation on.

‘It certainly was. By the way, we didn’t question you lot’ he pointed out.

Harry, Ginny and Hermione eyed each other. ‘Well I can’t see any reason for Pansy to snog Goyle sober… or drunk to be fair’ Ginny mused.

Hermione eyed her boyfriend. _Her boyfriend. That wouldn’t be getting old anytime soon. He had an excellent poker face._ She considered the others in turn. ‘I think I believe Theo, Fay told me about an encounter she had with him a couple of years ago, more than I wanted to know but… if anyone is having secret threesomes in the school I would put my money on Theo.’

The wizard in question proudly admitted ‘Fay is a _wonderful_ witch.’

‘I remember Remus telling me something about ridiculous things he had seen the boggart turn into that week’ Harry mused ‘’it’s smart to fear fear itself’, he told me, ‘makes much more sense than just fearing marriage like some daft Slytherin’

Ginny turned to the Slytherins ‘So Pansy is the liar’ she looked relived.

Pansy smirked, looking rather like a female Draco. ‘Well’ she said with a heavy sigh ‘at least snogging Greg has some advantages. We won that round’

Theo and Draco laughed good naturedly at Pansy, who clearly didn’t feel too embarrassed about the incident. ‘No worse than Draco snogging Millie is it?’ she stuck her tongue out at Malfoy. Of the Slytherins only Blaise stayed silent on the subject.

Ginny drank from the bottle of Ogden’s and looked at Hermione ‘So just to be clear, your boyfriends’ friends are both alcoholics and sexual deviants’ Theo and Pansy gave a small cheer ‘You should have started dating Malfoy ages ago, this is most entertaining’

Hermione felt her heart lift and Draco laughed. _I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him so relaxed and happy like this._ Hermione reflected on the times she had seen him in class or across the dining hall. She had witnessed him laugh with his friends before, but there was always an edge, cruelty or ego, _wasn’t there? Or had that just been her interpretation at the time?_ Hermione dragged herself back to the present, slightly in awe of the fact that she, Harry and Ginny were apparently friends with these Slytherins now. _Maybe we are healing from more than the war, maybe we are leaving other prejudices behind too?_

Before her thoughts could turn too introspective Madam Pomfrey’s footsteps rang out down the ward, heading towards them and interrupting Draco asking Harry if he could technically give detentions now he was a part time professor.

Pans, Blaise and Theo quickly put their liquor away as she approached. Luckily Madam Pomfrey was immersed in the notes on her clipboard and didn’t look at the group until all evidence of their drinking was gone.

‘Visiting hours are over I’m afraid, and curfew is fast approaching. You all best get to your common rooms’ her expression showed she would not tolerate any argument and the group gathered their things, bidding Draco, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey a good night on their way out.

Casting an eye over Draco’s legs the healer asked him so basic questions about how he was feeling before turning to Hermione. ‘Practically painless and fast working. Hermione this is…’ she seemed momentarily lost for words ‘dear, this is _wonderful_.’

Blushing, Hermione tried to play off the importance of her potion, but Madam Pomfrey was having none of it. ‘Tomorrow I would like you to write to St Mungos to let them know, and register the potion with the ministry. But for tonight can I trust you to monitor your patient? I have cast extra protection across the ward, but I would advise you setting some of your own spells around this area, just to be on the safe side.’ When she left Hermione realised she was once again alone in the hospital wing with Draco Malfoy. _Only this time he’s my boyfriend._

Draco patted the bed, which was still enlarged from Theo’s earlier spell. ‘I’m surprised Pomfrey isn’t giving us lectures about the contraceptive charm’ he observed.

Having absolutely no idea how to respond to the inference that they might…need the contraceptive charm, Hermione busied herself magicking the curtains closed around his bed and setting protective spells and alarms on autopilot.

‘It’s ever so handy having a girlfriend who can make bone re-growing painless’ Draco continued ‘perhaps if I get attacked a few more times you might find a cure for dragon pox too’

Hermione turned to face him, looking anxious ‘do you mind? That I told everyone I was your girlfriend I mean? I know we should have discussed that first’ she bit her lip.

Draco patted the bed, still enlarged from Theo’s earlier spellwork. ‘Granger, if you weren’t so determined to do all this cloak and dagger stuff to find my attacker I’d take out a full-page ad in the _Prophet_ to announce our relationship’

As she joined him on the bed Draco kissed her gently before putting his arm around her and pulling her body towards his, so her head was resting on his chest, her arm slung over his stomach. All the drama and drinking from the past few hours caught up with her, and even though she wanted to tell him how happy she was, once Draco began playing with her hair Hermione quickly drifted off to sleep in a matter of seconds with a smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to everyone who keeps reading my story. The comments, bookmarks and kudos mean so much to me! A few people had asked about Theo and his preferences so I decided it was time to reveal all. I hope you liked it! We are nearing the end now, I will try to update as quickly as I can. My work is all over the place at the moment, bit I appreciate you sticking with me

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fanfic, and my first attempt at writing anything in years. Constructive feedback very welcome!


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